Jim Holcroft
Toronto
In Moonlight James Holcroft 2012
Cast of Characters:
“Wolfie” John Doe Number 5 aka Dean “Ranger” Gamble –an old patient at the Syracuse mental facility in Roswell, New Mexico
Dr. Paul Carlson-newly arrived clinical psychiatrist at the facility taking over John 5’s case
Bill “the hulk” Watson and Rodney –two disgruntled orderlies at the facility
General Harrison –commanding officer in charge of secret project “Overlook” and it’s eventual cover-up
DJ Galaxy and Proto the Robot –anchors of a cheesy sci fi community radio station in Roswell: WTF-A-UFO
Dwayne Eagleclaw – owner of a gas station outside Roswell
Josh “wolfman” Spectre –the x-factor in this story and the root of all the turmoil
Introduction
Track 1 Roswell
Welcome to our burb, it’s the home to the absurd
Welcome to our town, topsy-turvy, upside down
chorus
Come one come all, this is where the saucers fall
All our games are off the of wall, perspective skewed, our tales tall
We don’t play normal,….. we play oddball…….In Roswell
This is the place, we welcome visitors from space
No weather balloons ahead, I don’t care what you read
This is the place, for the alien race
No cover-ups or gaps, only tourist traps
Stranger the strange, thoughts rearrange
Like interpreting dreams, nothing is as it seems
Weirder than weird, eccentric is reared
Where the obtuse are sent, our stories are bent
Little side thingies left and right (we have…..like 3 ring circus)
Creature feature bluebook museum Maps to the Extra-terrestrial highway
Home of the ET sandwich, eggs and tomato 4 fingered dish gloves
Alien autopsy themed “Operation” game “I want to Believe” T shirts and bath towels
Plush Grey’s that say, “Take me to your leader” Spaceship debris paper weights
Scene Change-night time, a lone gas station in the desert, south of Roswell (the only light for miles around); New appointed psychiatrist, Dr. Paul Car Carlson asks for directions to Roswell while unknowingly getting a fleeting glimpse of his patient to be.
Track 2 The Howler (dark and heavy)
In the holes and in the cracks, the shadows wait for their attack
Hiding from the haunting moon, under a tree, behind a dune
Awakened when the orb does rise, they crawl on out to find their prize
From the dust and from the rot, they run across the parking lot
Up the wall and through the blinds, to set upon my aching mind
Chorus
Through my ears and through my eyes, the shadows tear, take root inside
Moonbeams burn through bone and hair, a newborn howler has found its lair
The shadows clutch has formed a cage, beyond sorrow, beyond rage
Trapped inside, together caught, the screamers drown out all my thoughts
Through the spotlight eye to the dark side of the earth
The screamers and the howlers have given birth……in me
Making lines across the river, the rays of light, they can deliver
Seeking, searching, at once surround, the troubled soul is their fertile ground
Up the stairs, under the door, the seeds of sadness, fury’s spore
Scene Change-2 orderlies in a jeep in the desert night, in search of “Wolfie” John Doe after he flees the facility in Roswell: This is their fourth night of searching without overtime pay and their patience for the task is at an end………
Track 3 The Ballad of Wolfie John Doe (spoken rhythmically, rap song)
Intro (slow)
You see many years ago he was brought to us, an old vagrant with no past, another John doe to add to the pile
Another freak for our asylum. But unlike the rest, he was dangerous, and became known as Wolfie John Doe………
Once upon a time in a nuthouse in the desert, they say on moonlit nights, the place is put on red alert
He breaks on out like a prisoner escaping, he barks and howls like a monster in the making
He’s mooey loco, with one really big screw loose, he’s mega crazy, cookoo, nutso, fricken obtuse
He’s out of his gourd, he’s off his nut, he’s super loopy no ifs ands or but’s
Chorus
When the moon is down he’s an old fogy lard ass
But when the moon is up he turns into a bad ass
Whether he’s a werewolf, wolfman or lycanthrope
He’ll mess you up dog, maybe even cut your throat
So when you’re out there lookin in the desert
Better bring along your night stick or you’re gonna fricken get hurt
Say it’s just a story y’all, say it ain’t so
This is the story of wolfie John doe!
Another night wasted, lookin for his highness
No bonus pay or overtime out here in the darkness
Seems like every month we get this short straw last call assignment
Givin up a good night’s sleep on this fool’s errand
You have to understand why we’re full of fury
Towards this senior mo’fo sleeping without worry
We know that next time when the pale moon lights his face
He’s once again waste our time and lead us on this psycho chase
Various interludes:
…Keep your eyes out, he’s around here somewhere, hey put a spot on those bushes, we’ll see what we scare
A flash of his robe, tracks in the earth or his dreaded were call, keep your eyes peeled for any movement at all
He always goes south, don’t ask me why, this always get’s tedious as the hours go by
Stop the jeep, did you see that? I thought I movement out there in the scat
My mistake, it’s just a hare, but don’t let your guard down, my advice to you, always beware
You have to understand, I’m at the end of my rope, I’ve wasted too much time chasing after this dope
So when it’s all said and done and we get him back to bed, I’m gonna beat him so bad he’ll wish he was dead
I swear this is the last straw, our last, final drive, I’m gonna teach him a lesson when he get’s back inside
Track 4 Monsters From Space
Breathing white fire from the darkest night sky
A silver apparition with the sunflower eye
It beams its lost soul straight into my head
It’s invisible claw drags me up out of bed…….
Chorus
My Years are stolen, my life laid to waste
Attacked from within by the monsters from space
A terrible form, without pity or trust
It’s one mirrored eye, half buried in dust
Flying down from the black on a shining conveyor
It makes me it’s home, it’s dwelling, it’s lair
And clouds my life over, with rage and despair
Scene Change-a small low wattage community radio station outside Roswell WTF-A-UFO
Proto ``Skies will be remain clear with highs in the 90`s and lows in the 50`s, clouding over on Sunday and Monday
DJ `Thanks Proto, and now the news: the mental patient that escaped from the Syracuse Mental Hospital 4 days ago was apprehended early this morning in the desert north of White sands testing range.
Scene change- Syracuse mental health center
Track 5 Nuthouse Blues (Save me) (the orderlies make good on their promise and beat John to within an inch of his life for wasting their time yet again during the search in the desert, the nights before)
Save me, save me from myself
Save me, save me from myself
My brain is locked with a chain, my cell mate is pain
Please get me out of here, I tell you, I’m not insane, please
Save me, save me from myself
Save me, save me from myself
Save me, save me from myself
My mind is a tomb, a bone padded room
Drill a hole in my head, and rescue me soon, please
Save me, save me from myself
Scene Change: Dr. Carlson’s office. John Doe Number 5 is brought in for a preliminary look-see. He is all bruised from an early morning beating.
“Hello John, I’m Dr. Carlson, I see you ran away again. I just want to know why you are running away. What is it you are trying to find. John? Hello John….Is there anyone there??
Track 6 Busy Signal
This is case number 413, attending doctor Carlson, Paul M.D.
Subject male John Doe 3, recorded age to be mid seventies
Do you see me?
Do you hear me?
Do you even be?
No matter how I try, your numbers busy but there’s no-one home
Chorus
Kick the tree, to see what does fly out of it
Flip the rock, to see what scurries under it
Break the seal, to see whatever makes it tick
Lift the sheet, to see what is behind the trick
Dig a hole, to find out what it’s all about
Crack the lock, to see, removing every doubt
I will reach him, make a damn connection, despite what all his doctors say is true
Subject prone to hysteria, with violent outbursts roughly once a month
In between catatonia, despite all treatments deemed inoperable
Can you see me…………..chorus
Bridge spoken (as is if to a personal recorder)
Case 513 update: despite my best efforts and repeated attempts to engage
Communication, subject remains oblivious to my presence. The has to be an etiology and I refuse to give up on him
Roswell Community Report from WTF-A-UFO
This weekend marks the White Sands testing range third open house to the public. See things that have just been declassified. See the wall of heroes in the brand new information centre.
It is free to the public with shuttle buses leaving 10am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday.
Scene Change, White sands. To see if he can find out more about his silent patient, Dr. Carlson takes the White sands tour. John Doe was apprehended north of there and always seems to make a bee-line for it on his monthly escapes.
Tour Guide
If you look to your left you will see the site of the Trinity atomic bomb tests
On your right is the German V2 launch site for Operation Paperclip
If you look straight ahead you will see terminal 34 for the Orion Abort flight tests
In the early 1970’s super secret moon missions were launched from this site
The program was cancelled because of the death of an astronaut on the moon
The surviving crew was tortured here at While sands to eliminate knowledge of the mission
Track 7 White Sands
White Sands shines like a diamond of pulsating light
White Sands calls me via waves of moonlight
White Sands drags me out into the desert night
Take him to the mind erase machine……
Chorus
I returned from the task, they covered my face in a mask
They lead me down stairs. Bolted me to a chair
They drilled holes in my brain, put large needles in veins
Pumped me up full of drugs, it felt like burrowing bugs
I heard the nurse laugh, voltage peaked on a graph
I could smell burning hair, my screams filled the air
Simultaneously during chorus
Protocol demands containment via extreme means
Psychotropic assisted electroconvulsive mind erase machine
To keep this failed mission under wraps and ever seen
Psychotropic assisted electroconvulsive mind erase machine
White Sands burns me from the edge of conscious thought
White Sands took my valor, plights and battles fought
White Sands has my life, my past, the answers sought
Take him to the mind erase machine……..
Secrets kept, they tortured me, the hole inside will always be
Problem solved they’d all agree
Scene Change: John Doe is back in Dr. Carlson’s Office
“John…John….I’ve been to the White sands open house. I’ve seen your picture; your picture is on the wall. You’re a real person John and you have a real name: it’s Lt. Colonel Dean Gamble. That’s right John, you have a name, Dean…Dean Gamble. You were a soldier and an astronaut”
Upon hearing his real name, a retrospective catharsis ensues…………..
Track 8 Ranger Dean and His Jolly Green
Vietnam 1969, combat search and Rescue based in Da Nang
Sikorsky Double H 53, the helicopter known as the Jolly Green
Aircraft Commander Head of the team, Lt. Dean Gamble; “Ranger” Dean
Their task, downed pilots, lost and found, to bring them back to base, safe and sound
Look! Up In the Sky!
Like an Angel sent from heaven it appears to me
The sight of Ranger Dean and his Jolly Green
Here’s my story, who am I? Lt. Josh Spectre, handle “Wolf man”
Bombing Sortie, Hill 39, Rolling Thunder, behind the line
Tour over, it’s safe to say, heading home tomorrow for my wedding day
SAM alarm, hit direct, going down, press eject
Look! Up in the sky!
Like my savior up above, I think you’ll all agree
It’s the sight of Ranger Dean and his Jolly Green
Jungle Heat, alone on the ground, enemy closing all around
Made my peace, ready to go, than a saintly voice on my radio
Before I knew it, lifted away, safe and sound for my wedding day
A Better motto you’ll not likely find; “We Don’t Leave Anyone Behind”
Look! Up in the sky!
Like my chariot to the gates, they set me free, I’m sitting next to Dean in his Jolly Green
Scene Change: Office of General Harrison at White Sands: both Dean and Josh have been conscripted from their regular posts for a covert mission. Josh enters and see’s that dean is already there.
“ Ah Josh, come in, sorry to cut your honeymoon short. Sit down, I believe you know dean Gamble. You have both been selected for a special mission of upmost importance to American security. In 6 months time you will be both be landing on the moon. Te=he name of this mission is Operation Overlook. No official record of our efforts here will ever be released to the public. You will not be acknowledged or remembered for your work and heroism in what is to be a difficult task. The mission will involve 3 separate trips to the moon of which this is the first. When you have finished we will have placed a nuclear missile emplacement which will be our last line of defence against the Soviet Union”
Track 9 Moonshot
Neil was immortalized by his mighty giant step
Glenn will be remembered too, it’s a first, a sure, safe bet
While we risked our lives atop this Roman candle death machine
Our names forgotten history, faces in print, never seen
Sheppard was immortalized as the first American
Yuri is immortal too, being there, when it all began
Understatement in harms way, ignition commence, tail lit
No stories told, our mouths kept shut, we signed the clause, we must admit
Chorus
One thing is true, it’s one hell of a view
The moon shining white, an incredible sight
The earth in behind, the moment defined
After the mission has run……we can tell no-one
Yeager was immortalized, for his brave sound breaking first
13 crew, remembered too, for their mission’s bad to worse
Here we are in danger’s face, heading out into the void
No-one will remember us, secrets kept, our chance destroyed
Bridge
No ticker tape parade for Us
No autographs, talk shows for us
No quotes or books, footnotes for us
Track 10 Overlook (no vocals just radio messages)
This is Overlook command; request “go” on walk II
Roger Overlook command, “go” on walk II
Josh has left the lander, proceeding to the rover
Roger, Overlook command, proceed with launcher control plate assembly
Remember Josh you have precisely 55 minutes of air
Roger Dean, proceeding to launch site.
Overlook Command, this is mission control, alert status “Orange”
This is Overlook Command, request clarify, alert status “Orange”
Mission control states unforeseen solar flare activity
Confirmed, massive solar flare, abort mission. Repeat, abort mission
This is Overlook command, Josh is still out on the surface, repeat Josh has not returned to lander
Josh request confirmation, Josh confirmed
Solar flare status Orange, request return time
At least 20 minutes but the control plate assembly is at a critical stage
This is mission control, solar flare radiation estimated, lethal levels, Scram 4, repeat, Scram 4
Link up with module and proceed to dark side
This is Overlook command, I have a man still out there
Mission control, repeat Scram 4, lift off
I can’t abandon him, repeat confirmation radiation danger
Mission control type 7 solar flare confirmed, alert status now Red
Direct order from mission control, Lift off, lift off now
Roger, hatch sealed, ignition in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, lift off
This is Josh, why the launch confirm……wait
This is mission control, confirm radiation, we have nominal, repeat nominal radiation, no code red, repeat code red cancelled
Sorry Overlook command, all our models predicted lethal levels
I have a man down there dammit!
There is nothing you can do Overlook control………………………
I’m still here, confirm confirm……………………
Scene change, back to present in Dr. Carlson’s office. Dean has the realization that the screamers, howlers and monsters from space are actually cries for help from his dead friend and is released from his catatonic state. He sets in motion a plan to rescue him yet again.
Track 11 The Heavens Below
Strangely, It all Makes sense
Clearly, from this day Hence
Oddly, when you rule all out
Truly, remove all doubt
Strangely, his disembodied soul
Clearly, lost in space, far from whole
His pain finds mine
In Moonlight we combine
Chorus
Between the earth and the moon, among the clouds in the sky
It’s what many assume, the place you go when you die
In moonlight you found me, I think I finally see
I have a plan that will set us both, free
Strangely, rest in peace cannot be found
Clearly, from a place so far above the ground
Oddly, you need me via the cool moon rays
Truly, to show you the way
Bridge (spoken)
He was the one I left behind, my best friend, I had no choice
How can I expect him to forgive me when I cannot even forgive myself
No matter how strong your beliefs, your faith or race, you can’t get to heaven from outer space
Scene change: Dr Carlson returns to the facility with news for Dean regarding his plan to save Josh’s soul from purgatory.
“John, John, excuse me, Dean. I’ve found her, I’ve found Josh’s wife. She is still alive, but not for much longer. She’s dying Dean, she’s dying in hospital not far from here. We don’t have much time.
Scene Change: Roswell Air force base hospital: Josh’s wife is in the last stages of a terminal illness. She never remarried after her brief marriage to Josh (less than a year). Dean under the supervision of Dr. Carlson “hands off” Josh to his wife and inturn saves him.
Track 12 Departure Time (overlooking Josh’s dying wife in hospital)
I remember your wedding day, her beauty and long brown hair
The years have turned all to grey, seeing her, lying there
Take her hand in mine, together be
Take her hand in mine, I’ll set you free
Chorus
My feet on the ground must stay
She’ll take you there, the rest of the way
Like back in the jungle, when you were saved
You’ll fly away
I remember her love for you, her tears when, I brought the news
The many years since have left their wear, seeing her, lying there
Take her hand……….
Track 13 Haunted By You (and I’m glad)
When all’s said and done it’s true
I’ll spend my last days missing you
Safe inside my heart my friend
Memories kept until the end
In the safest place my mind can be
You’ll always be there, within me
I am haunted by you, and I’m glad
When all is said and done today
The grief and pain are washed away
A lonely life, you filled the hole
Your laugh and smile fused to my soul
In the safest place my mind can be
You’ll always be there, within me
I’m haunted by you, and I’m glad
Scene Change, night-time a desert road south of Roswell. Dean, newly released from the hospital, sits by a cactus to look up at the night sky and marvel at the moon that no longer torments him. He drifts away to find Josh standing above him. He takes his hand and is led to a Jolly Green chariot to the gates. His friend in turn saves him saying Dean’s air rescue motto “We don’t leave anyone behind. The helicopter lifts off to the heaven’s above.
Track 14 In Moonlight
The feel of the wind, the sound of the cars
Soothes my burden within, my old tired heart
The crickets echo, the sun takes one final bow
I’ll rest by the road, it won’t be long now
Darkness is taking me, into the embrace of the night
Just let me sleep in quiet moonlight
In moonlight
Just let me sleep
The end.
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