(10)
EXT. STREETS/ALLEYS -- HONGKOW -- DAY
Hans and Andy pass some collapsed walls and wrecked houses, ruins of the war. Piles of bricks litter the streets lined with restaurants, Chinese traditional herb and medicine stores, lacquer furniture stores, silk and brocades stores, and the like.
Hans and Andy wander among booths of barbers, greengrocers, fortune-tellers, knife and scissor sharpeners, street letter writers, shoe repairmen, tailors, plumbers, carpenters and workshops selling boiled water.
A Jewish GROCERY OWNER places a radio in front of his store and tunes it to the EUROPEAN NEWS and MUSIC broadcast. Jewish passers-by are attracted and huddle together around the radio to listen attentively.
EXT. HEIME -- HONGKOW -- DAY
Hans and Andy approach the building where JEWISH REFUGEES, dressed in shabby clothes, lean against the wall or sit on the ground in front of the gate.
INT. HEIME -- DAY
Hans and Andy enter the large common dining room where JEWS are dining on watery soup and bread.
Then they poke their heads into a bedroom. Steel double-decked beds are equipped with thin mattresses and sheets. More than twenty people live in the small room, their beds separated by shabby sheets or blankets hung over ropes.
INT. COMMON LIVING ROOM -- HEIME -- DAY
Several WOMEN tend to their crying BABIES.
Hans and Andy appear in the doorway. Andy rushes to his GRANDPA, an OLD MAN lying on a sofa, coughing. MARIA, Andy’s AUNTIE, pats the old man on the shoulder to soothe him. Dr. Behr exams the old man with a stethoscope.
DR. BEHR
Maria, your father's suffered from pneumonia.
MARIA
Oh, Dr. Behr, please save my father, I beg you.
DR. BEHR
I've tried my best to save every patient, but we don't have penicillin. It's import, imported medicine, you know, very expensive.
MARIA
How much? Tell me, how much? I'd do anything to get it. I'd find a way out.
DR. BEHR
We don't even have sufficient food, clothes and bedding. How can we get expensive medicine?
WOMAN 1
We must get medicine. There's no way to prevent any disease from spreading, with so many people, in such unsanitary conditions.
WOMAN 2
I wouldn't complain. We live in paradise here, compared with the Jews tortured there in Europe.
WOMAN 3
And we're alive, while they're dying.
Dr. Behr recognizes Hans.
DR. BEHR
Hey, are you Hans? Do you remember me? I'm Dr. Behr. We've met in Berlin.
HANS
Ah, of course, I remember you, Dr. Behr. You're Anna's family friend.
DR. BEHR
(chuckling)
Yeah, yeah, come on in.
HANS
So, this is the place named Heime, huh?
DR. BEHR
Yeah, Heime. With generous donation from the Sephardic Jews like Sassoon and Kadoorie, the Jewish Relief Agencies set up such charity homes for the influx of impoverished refugees here.
HANS
Dr. Behr, I'm looking for Anna. Have you seen her? Do you know where she lives?
DR. BEHR
We were aboard the same ship, but I haven't seen her since we docked. Her father Mark is familiar with some wealthy Jews here. Word has it they were invited to lodge in the Sassoon Hotel.
HANS
Sassoon Hotel? Where is it? Is it far from here?
DR. BEHR
It's in the British International Settlement. You can get there by bus.
ANDY
Come on, I can show you the bus stop.
HANS
You're so helpful, Andy.
DR. BEHR
Take care.
HANS
Thank you. It's so nice to meet you. See you later.
As Hans and Andy walk away, Dr. Behr notices Hans' bare feet.
DR. BEHR
Hey, Hans, hold on. I'll be right back.
Dr. Behr leaves the living room and returns with a pair of old shoes and some money.
DR. BEHR (CONT'D)
Put the shoes on. See if they fit.
HANS
(putting shoes on)
Ah, they fit quite well.
DR. BEHR
(giving money)
Take this also. You need it for a bus fare.
HANS
Thank you so much.
EXT. BUS STOP -- HONGKOW -- DAY
A Double-decker bus honks to disperse the crowd on the street and comes to a stop. Hans gets on and waves to Andy who smiles and waves back until the bus leaves.
(CONTINUING)
