HORACE
                         Maybe I am being an old sod, but I
                         have never found God and sex to mix
                         very well together.  But then
                         again, that's my theory and it
                         doesn't apply to anyone else. 
                         Though I don't blame God per-se,
                         it's His followers that get me so
                         un-nerved.

                                   ANDY
                         It's all what one makes of it. 
                         Church, religion, spirituality. 
                         You just need to find what works
                         for you.  Some people can look past
                         the hypocrisy and the politics.

                                   HORACE
                         Such the good Catholic boy, aren't
                         you?  My!  Those nuns must have
                         beat it into you!

                                   ANDY
                         How do you know I'm not Protestant?

                                   HORACE
                             (smiles widely at Andy)
                         And behave the way you do?  And two
                         middle names, at that!  You
                         probably wear your socks during sex
                         with the lights out!
                             (Andy looks at Horace and
                              begins to laugh.)

                                   ANDY
                         Hey, my feet get cold!
                             (He looks up at Horace and
                              smiles.)
                         And...as long as I'm at confession,
                         I lied to Peter.  I said I was a
                         Republican, just to piss him off.

                                   HORACE
                         Well!  No wonder you two went at it
                         like banshees!
                             (The two laugh. When the
                              moment dies down, Horace
                              continues gently.)
                         But this nonsense of not feeling
                         "handsome enough" is utter rubbish.
                             (direct and gentle)
                         You are handsome.
                             (slight pause)
                         You see, Andrew, we ALL are
                         handsome men.  At one point in our
                         lives, in someone's eyes, we are
                         handsome men.  Be it for a fleeting
                         moment of a stranger passing by, or
                         the person who chooses to love you
                         for a lifetime.It just takes that
                         one person, or sometimes if your
                         lucky, persons, who are able to see
                         all those wonderful things inside
                         of you that makes you a handsome
                         man.
                             (Andy smiles at Horace.
                              Horace smiles back.)
                             (gently)
                         And don't ever believe that not to
                         be true.

               Andy begins to get choked up.

                                   ANDY
                         But the fact is that I am alone. 
                         And I'm starting to get frightened
                         that this is how it's going to be
                         the rest of my life.

                                   HORACE
                             (gently)
                         You're whining now, dear boy. 
                         You're much too big for that.

                                   ANDY
                             (groans)
                         Jesus, I am, aren't I?  Please,
                         shoot me.

                                   HORACE
                             (chuckling)
                         No need for that, Andrew.
                             (Horace then playfully
                              smacks Andy on the back
                              of his head.)

                                   ANDY
                             (surprised, then laughs)
                         Ow!  What was that for?

                                   HORACE
                         So you won't be embarrassed after
                         that last comment.
                             (The two then chuckle and
                              smile at each other for a
                              moment.)
                         Now, proceed.

                                   ANDY
                         You see...the truth is, I've wasted
                         too much time either trying to grow
                         up, or figuring out what I want and
                         who I want to be.

                                   HORACE
                         My dear, that goes on until your
                         last dying breath.  But on this
                         journey you discover that there are
                         people willing to love you for your
                         weaknesses, as well as for your
                         strengths.  You just need to make
                         sure that you allow yourself to
                         realize who these people are.

               Andy begins to tear up.  Horace puts his hand gently on
               Andy's head and begins to stroke his hair gently.

                                   HORACE
                         This "Prince Charming" character
                         appears when you least expect it. 
                         He just happens.  You may not
                         recognize it's him at first, but he
                         grows on you.  Little by little. 
                         Perhaps some morning, when he's
                         shaving in front of the mirror and
                         singing off key, you realize that
                         it's him.  He's arrived.

                                   ANDY
                             (he lays his head on
                              Horace's lap. Horace
                              continues to stroke his
                              hair.)
                         But you're forgetting the other
                         part.

                                   HORACE
                         What other part is that, Andrew?

                                   ANDY
                         What to do when he rides off into
                         the sunset.
                             (pause)
                         Without you.

                                   HORACE
                         If it is only for a short time,so
                         be it, that's all it was meant to
                         be.  For the lack of a better
                         quote, "Tis better to have loved
                         and lost, then never to have loved
                         at all."
                             (slight pause)
                         But you live, you survive.  And
                         move on.

                                   ANDY
                             (chuckles slightly)
                         You must be a big fan of
                         Shakespeare.

                                   HORACE
                         Not really.  Besides, that was
                         Tennyson.

               The two chuckle.  Then become quiet for a moment.

                                   HORACE
                         Never give up on what you want, my
                         dear boy.  You'll get it.  Maybe
                         not in the shape and form that you
                         dream of, but you do get it.  But
                         you mustn't give up.  Never.  Say
                         your prayers, they do work, you
                         know.
                             (Andy slowly looks up at
                              Horace. He grins.)
                             (defensively)
                         I never said I didn't believe in
                         God!  I'm an agnostic, that's all.

                                   ANDY
                             (he smiles at Horace. Then
                              looks away.)
                         Well, I'm not going to meet Prince
                         Charming cruising the parks, am I?