"A WRITERLY
REVENGE"
by
Charles Deemer
FADE
IN:
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT
BOBBY
SHARP, 50s, a bear of his man, holds a carving knife
to
his throat.
Across
the room, ALICE, 40s, dressed like an Earth Mother,
approaches
cautiously.
ALICE
Bobby, give me the knife...
BOBBY
It's the best thing I can do for
my career, Alice. The world likes
their writers dead.
ALICE
You have good work to do yet ...
put it down ...
BOBBY
I'm not going to win.
ALICE
You don't know that. And it
doesn't matter if you don't. It's
just one judge's opinion.
BOBBY
That young punk is going to win.
I'm old enough to be his father.
ALICE
We laugh at writing competitions,
remember? Do this, and it looks
like you take them seriously.
BOBBY
Jesus, you're right.
He
lowers the knife.
BOBBY
It plays right into their
philistine hands, doesn't it?
EXT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - NIGHT
FACULTY,
STUDENTS, GUESTS move across campus toward a
prominent
building.
2.
Among
them are Bobby and Alice. Sharp habitually slumps when
he
moves.
INT.
COLLEGE BUILDING - NIGHT
Bobby
and Alice enter. They immediately are approached by
PROF.
TOM TOM, a younger colleague.
TOM
Good luck, Bobby.
BOBBY
Yeah, right, I'll need it.
Alice
pulls him away, following the flow of people. She
glances
back at Tom, who smiles.
INT.
COLLEGE BUILDING - AUDITORIUM - NIGHT
Bobby
and Alice take reserved seats near the front of the
auditorium.
INT.
AUDITORIUM - PODIUM - NIGHT
A
distinguished-looking man is at the podium. This is PROF.
ANDREWS.
PROF. ANDREWS
The nominees for this year's
Sherwood Best Novel Prize, the
winner to be published by our
University press, are: "A
Darkening Wood," by Prof.
Tom
Carlton, Dept. of History
..."
Applause.
PROF. CARLTON, seated near the front, beams.
PROF. ANDREWS
"Love At Ground Zero,"
by Prof.
Robert Sharp, Dept. of English
..."
Applause.
Bobby scowls, looking almost suicidal.
PROF. ANDREWS
And finally, "Lust," by
Kevin
Mann, a graduate student in
physics.
Applause.
KEVIN, 20s, wears black and lots of jewelry.
3.
PROF. ANDREWS
And the winner is ...
PROF.
MARILYN ZINK, loving her moment, darts forward with an
envelope.
Andrews takes it and opens it, taking his time for
effect.
PROF. ANDREWS
And the winner is ...
"Lust" by
Kevin Mann."
Kevin
leaps to his feet.
KEVIN
Yes!
Bobby
turns to Alice, looking more down than ever.
ALICE
For yourself to smile. Be a
gracious loser.
Bobby
looks like he's going to cry.
INT.
CAMPUS - SOCIAL HALL - NIGHT
A
reception after the awards.
Bobby
hangs around the bar. Alice stands some distance away,
keeping
an eye on him.
Bobby
has captured the ear of Tom Tom.
BOBBY
A writer with charisma, that's
what the bean counters want.
Someone who looks good on TV --
or at least different. Maybe I
should get a nose ring. Hey,
honey, how would I look in a nose
ring?
ALICE
Bobby ...
BOBBY
(back to Tom)
You know, I have a few female
students who have these metal
tabs on their tongues. It's for
giving blow jobs.
4.
Alice
has heard enough. She rushes forward and takes Tom's
arm.
ALICE
Time to go.
TOM
Sorry that ...
ALICE
We know, we know.
She
starts away with her husband.
BOBBY
Hey, where are we going?
But
he's well trained and goes along with her.
At
the bar, Prof. Andrews joins Tom.
PROF. ANDREWS
Ever read his novel?
TOM
Yes. Have you?
PROF. ANDREWS
Dreadful, don't you think? I
don't know how it was a finalist.
Tom
knows better than to comment.
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - DAY
An
old farm house in the countryside.
Suddenly
Bobby staggers out the front door. He's an
incredible
sight, in undershorts only, his gut spilling out,
looking
very hungover.
He
hurries to a great tree in the front yard. He starts
peeing
on it.
Alice,
in a robe, appears in the doorway.
ALICE
For God's sake, Bobby, I said I
was almost done.
BOBBY
I wasn't waiting for you to
finish.
5.
He
looks ecstatic as he relieves himself in the morning air.
BOBBY
Why would anyone choose to do
this inside?
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
Alice
is pouring coffee when Bobby passes by.
ALICE
Coffee's ready.
Bobby
ignores her.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - DAY
Alice
enters as Bobby crawls into bed.
He
pulls the covers over his head.
She
sighs and leaves.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
Alice
eats breakfast alone at a small table off the kitchen.
The
telephone rings.
ALICE
Hello?...Guess....He's still in
bed....I have no idea, but I'll
have him call you.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - DAY
Alice
looks in on Bobby. He appears to be asleep.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - FRONT PORCH - DAY
Alice
sits in a swing on the porch, reading. The sun is
going
down.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Evening.
6.
Alice
turns on a light. She looks in the refrigerator, as if
wondering
what to fix for dinner.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Alice
turns on the light. Bobby doesn't stir.
She
looks worried. She approaches the bed.
She
bends forward. Bobby coughs in his sleep, scaring her.
She
retreats, leaving the light on.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Alice
on the phone.
ALICE
He's been in bed all day. I'll
have him call you tomorrow.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Bobby
stirs. He opens his eyes, squints in immediate pain
from
the light.
BOBBY
Who left the goddamn light on?!
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Bobby
enters, dressed in his disheveled way. Alice eats
alone
at the small table.
BOBBY
You left the light on.
ALICE
Your dinner's keeping warm.
BOBBY
I said, you left the goddamn
light on. It woke me up.
ALICE
Poor baby. Didn't get enough
sleep?
He
mumbles and starts away.
7.
ALICE
Bobby, for God's sake. You got to
eat. It's in the oven.
BOBBY
I'll pick up a burger in town.
ALICE
How long are you going to sulk?
BOBBY
A lot of understanding I get
around here.
She
starts to say something but stops herself.
ALICE
(after him)
At least get a ride home!
INT.
TAVERN - NIGHT
A
SERIES OF SHOTS
as
Bobby holds court to an audience of STUDENTS.
--Bobby
gesturing, talking, very animated. We wouldn't
understand
what the hell he was saying if we heard.
--Students
attentive, laughing, enjoying this character.
--The
bartender and waitress keeping everyone's drinks full.
--Bobby
increasingly playing to a pretty coed (JENNIFER) in
the
group, who flirts back.
EXT.
TAVERN - NIGHT
Bobby
is helped outside Jennifer on one side and another
student
(CAL) on the other.
CAL
Man, I really don't think you
should drive.
BOBBY
I don't have to. The car drives
itself. It's been down this road
many times. Knows the way by
heart.
The
BARTENDER hurries outside.
8.
BARTENDER
No, you don't, Bobby. I just
called a cab. Give me your keys.
BOBBY
Ah, come on...you know how many
times I've done this?
BARTENDER
And the odds get worse each time.
Keys. The cab is paid for. Here's
a little incentive.
He
holds out a small paper sack, just the right size for a
pint
of booze.
BOBBY
You clever devil ...
BARTENDER
Cab said it'd only be a few
minutes.
Bobby
takes the booze.
BOBBY
You're a good friend. But I keep
the keys. I'll need to pick up
the car before you open.
BARTENDER
Fair enough.
(to students)
Do you mind waiting with him?
JENNIFER
No problem.
She
smiles at Bobby. He smiles back.
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - PORCH - NIGHT
Alice
sits on the swing. She looks old and tired.
Headlights
in the distance. She goes inside.
The
cab pulls up.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Bobby
stumbles into the kitchen. He opens the oven, as if
looking
for his dinner.
9.
He
sticks his head in the oven.
Alice
enters.
ALICE
Bobby, no!
Bobby
surfaces.
BOBBY
You said my dinner was in here.
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - DAY
Morning
sun.
Alice
comes out onto the porch and shakes a rug.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BATHROOM - DAY
Bobby
stands under a steaming shower. Becoming human again.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DINING ROOM - DAY
A
real breakfast at the dining room table.
Except
that Bobby is just picking at his food.
ALICE
You know what you need to do?
He
doesn't reply.
ALICE
Start a new novel.
BOBBY
Another unpublished novel. Just
what the world needs. Why didn't
I think of that?
ALICE
You know, it only takes one
break, Bobby. Then you're on your
way.
BOBBY
How many years have you been
saying that? Twenty?
She
doesn't reply.
10.
BOBBY
Twenty three, I think. Since grad
school.
ALICE
Well, how about first things
first. Eat your breakfast.
BOBBY
I'm not hungry.
ALICE
Oh, Bobby ... I don't know what
to do.
He
looks at her seriously.
BOBBY
I don't either.
EXT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - DAY
Alice
crosses campus, heading for the Student Union.
INT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - STUDENT UNION - CAFE - DAY
Alice
finds Tom Tom. She plops down.
An
awkward silence.
TOM
So he's worse than usual.
ALICE
Very. I found him with his head
in the oven.
TOM
You don't have gas, do you?
ALICE
It was the image that threw me.
He said he was looking for his
dinner but it was like he was
practicing. Usually he takes out
his frustration by getting back
to work. He just mopes. Drinks.
Sleeps. I'm afraid he's losing
his spunk.
11.
TOM
Hard to imagine Bobby without
spunk.
ALICE
That's what frightens me.
EXT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - BUILDING - DAY
Behind
a building, a secluded nook.
Alice
and Tom are kissing passionately.
Alice
pulls away.
TOM
Let's get a room.
ALICE
Not today. Not while he's in such
a state.
TOM
Egomaniacs don't off themselves.
Alice
starts away, he pulls her back.
ALICE
I really have to go. I'm worried.
TOM
Understood.
She
moves off.
TOM
(after her)
Keep me up to speed!
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - DAY
Alice
looks in. Bobby, dressed, is sprawled on the bed.
ALICE
Bobby?
He
ignores her. She moves close enough to see that his eyes
are
open.
ALICE
What's the matter?
12.
Bobby
turns and frowns at her. He looks like he can't
believe
what he heard.
BOBBY
What's wrong? Why should anything
be wrong?
ALICE
Don't be cute with me. I'm
worried about you.
Bobby
considers this, then rolls away.
Alice,
exasperated, leaves.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
Alice
on the phone.
ALICE
I'll get a room at the Days Inn.
Can you be there by ...
She
looks at the clock on the wall.
ALICE
... by three-thirty?
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - DAY
Bobby
on his back now, staring up at the ceiling.
INT.
MOTEL ROOM - DAY
Alice
and Tom in an embrace of lovemaking.
INTERCUT
between
Bobby's depressed paralysis and Alice's growing
passion
making love with Tom.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT
Bobby
drags himself into the dark den, turns on the light,
and
sits down at his computer.
He
opens his mail program, activates a voice audio program
that
reads his mail aloud.
13.
COMPUTER VOICE
You have three new messages.
Message one. Subject: Hot honeys
waiting for you. Message: Hey,
big stud--
Bobby,
bored, clicks to next message.
COMPUTER VOICE
Message two. Subject: Gain six
inches. Message: Is your penis
too small for--
Click.
COMPUTER VOICE
Message three. Subject: I want to
be your agent. Message:
Rewind
click. Bobby leans toward the screen, attentive.
COMPUTER VOICE
Subject: I want to be your agent.
Message: Your short stories on
your website are incredible. I
greatly admire your work and want
to be your agent. Your voice is
original, powerful, dramatic, a
voice for our times. I have
fifteen years experience and have
just started my own agency. Do
you have a novel you're looking
to place? I would like to discuss
your writing future with you. End
of messages.
Bobby
stares at the screen, stunned.
Click,
click.
COMPUTER VOICE
Subject: I want to be your agent.
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - NIGHT
Alice
drives up in her car, parks.
She
approaches the house. Bobby stands up from the porch
swing,
beer bottle in hand.
ALICE
Are you drunk?
14.
BOBBY
No, I'm not drunk. Where have you
been?
ALICE
I was visiting Nancy.
BOBBY
I have news.
ALICE
She hopes you're feeling better.
BOBBY
I have news.
ALICE
Are you sure you're not drunk?
BOBBY
For Christ sake, will you listen
to me? I have news! I think I
have an agent who wants to sell
my novel.
Alice
stares at him, as if waiting for the punch line.
BOBBY
Hello?
ALICE
What are you talking about?
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT
They
sit together in front of the computer.
COMPUTER VOICE
Do you have a novel you're
looking to place? I would like to
discuss your writing future with
you. End of messages.
Bobby
grins at his wife.
BOBBY
My ship's finally come in, baby.
ALICE
She actually hasn't read your
novel yet.
15.
BOBBY
Great. Just what I need from you.
You'd fuck up a wet dream.
He
storms out.
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - PORCH - NIGHT
Bobby
sits in the swing, swigging a beer. Alice comes out.
ALICE
Bobby? I just meant that you
don't want to jump the gun. Don't
you want to check her out first?
She may not be a very good agent.
BOBBY
She's an agent. Do I have an
agent? How can she be worse than
the agent I don't have?
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - DAY
Bobby
sits at the computer in his robe. A cup of coffee
nearby.
Typing:
BOBBY (VO)
I slept on what you had to say in
your email. Your timing is
perfect. I do have a novel I've
been seeking to place.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - DAY (LATER)
Bobby
is dressed for classes, a wrinkled academic. He
listens
to an email.
COMPUTER VOICE
Please send me your novel as soon
as you can. For convenience you
may send it as an attachment.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT
Bobby
listening to an email, more casual than earlier.
16.
COMPUTER VOICE
I read your novel in one sitting.
I am speechless. It is amazing.
It is graced with drama,
suspense,
intrigue. It profoundly speaks to
the human condition.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT (LATER)
Bobby
and Alice listening.
COMPUTER VOICE
It profoundly speaks to the human
condition. I would be very proud
to be the literary agent for such
a spectacular novel. I believe
publication and prizes are in the
future for this wonderful book.
I've attached my agent-writer
contract for you to sign and fax
to me. End of messages.
Bobby
takes a deep breath. He lets it out slowly.
BOBBY
Well?
ALICE
She certainly is ...
BOBBY
Is what?
ALICE
Expansive.
BOBBY
Expansive?
ALICE
I've never heard anyone praise
something so highly.
BOBBY
So that's it. It bugs you. You
can't stand it that somebody
actually thinks I'm a great
writer.
Storming
off again.
ALICE
I just want you to be careful.
17.
He
stops.
BOBBY
About what?
ALICE
About her. In case she's ...
BOBBY
She's what?
ALICE
In case this is a scam of some
kind.
BOBBY
A scam!? A fucking scam!?
And
now he's gone.
INT. TAVERN - NIGHT
Bobby
is holding court. Cal and Jennifer are among the
students
listening.
BOBBY
The writer's only job is to
write.
It's not to appear on television.
It's not to butt-hole the
marketplace. It's not to write
what the public wants. It's to
write what he needs to write,
what he cannot not write. A
writer writes for the gods. A
writer writes for posterity. Thus
it's a lonely job -- interrupted
only occasionally by the strike
of lightning, the sudden
appearance of a supporter, an
agent who understands the
writer's
work, an agent on the same
literary wave length, an agent
who has that rarest of all human
qualities, good literary taste.
Tom
Yawley enters, looks around, finds Bobby.
CAL
When's your novel getting
published, Prof. Sharp?
BOBBY
Within the year, I should think.
18.
JENNIFER
Will you sign my copy?
BOBBY
Only if you dance for me.
He
takes Jennifer's arm and drags her near the juke box,
blaring
with music. She shoots a "what do I do?" glance to
Cal,
who grins back.
Tom
watches them. Bobby tries hard but is not a good dancer.
Jennifer
looks embarrassed but gamely goes along.
The
tune ends. Tom steps forward.
TOM
Bobby! I understand
congratulations are in order.
He
takes Bobby's arm and leads him off. Bobby tries to catch
Jennifer's
eye but she already hurries back to Cal.
Tom
leads Bobby to a distant booth. They slide in.
BOBBY
You heard.
TOM
Alice called me. She wants you to
exercise some caution here.
BOBBY
Alice. Her problem is she never
believed in me. It pisses her off
someone besides myself thinks I'm
a genius.
TOM
Bobby, I want you to listen to
me.
I've been doing some research on
the Internet.
BOBBY
You came here to tell me about
your research?
TOM
Research on agents. The Marianne
Toledo Literary Agency is not a
member of the Association of
Authors' Representative. In fact,
I couldn't find her listed in any
of the standard directories.
19.
BOBBY
Alice put you up to this.
TOM
She doesn't want you to be
disappointed.
BOBBY
She isn't in the directory
because she's new. She's a new
agency! She worked fifteen years
for somebody else, and now she's
starting her own business. I'm
probably her first client.
Starting at the top.
He
grins.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
Alice
stands at the stove. Bacon fries in a pan.
ALICE
Bobby, breakfast is almost ready!
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - DAY
Cal
sits at the computer, listening to a document being read
to
him.
COMPUTER VOICE
The Agency will be entitled to
receive reimbursement from the
author for the following specific
expenses relevant to
representation and promotion of
the project: manuscript/proposal
copying costs, long-distance
telephone calls between author
and agency and agency and
publisher, fax costs, necessary
overnight deliveries and express
costs--
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
Alice
serves up the plates.
ALICE
Bobby! Breakfast!
20.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - DAY
Bobby
stands up.
COMPUTER VOICE
The Agency agrees to forward to
the Author copies of all
correspondence received from
publishers in reference to the
Author's projects.
He
clicks off the mail.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DINING ROOM - DAY
Alice
is seated and eating when Bobby enters.
BOBBY
I'm going to sign the contract.
Alice
doesn't respond. Bobby sits down.
BOBBY
It's the right thing to do.
ALICE
Did you want Tabasco for your
potatoes?
Bobby
glares at her.
EXT.
MOTEL - NIGHT
Alice's
car is parked in front of a room.
INT.
MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
The
end of lovemaking. Alice and Tom roll apart, exhausted.
Alice
quickly recovers. She hops out of bed.
TOM
What are you doing?
ALICE
I want to show you something.
She
has brought a laptop, which she opens on the small table
in
the room.
21.
TOM
First sex, then we browse the
net.
This is a side of you I haven't
seen before.
ALICE
Marianne Toledo has a history.
Interested,
Tom gets out of bed and joins Alice at the laptop.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Intervention.
Bobby sits in his usual chair. Alice and Tom
sit
across the room.
TOM
You can't dismiss something like
that.
BOBBY
How do you know they're not just
rumors? Was she charged with
fraud? Was she sued? Did she go
to jail? Of course not.
TOM
It's much more subtle than that.
BOBBY
She was an employee there. Did it
ever occur to you that she left
to start her own agency precisely
because she disagreed with
policy?
Look, I'm not an idiot, despite
what Alice has been telling you.
ALICE
(to Tom)
See what I have to put up with?
BOBBY
It's standard practice for
clients to pay postage and other
expenses relevant to their
projects.
Tom
looks at Alice. She shrugs.
BOBBY
Standard practice. They all do
it.
It comes out of your royalties.
22.
TOM
She hasn't asked you to send her
money?
BOBBY
Of course not.
A
pause. Tom tries again.
TOM
She's in Oregon. Shouldn't a
literary agent be in New York?
BOBBY
Have you ever heard of email? The
global village? It doesn't matter
today.
He
stands up.
BOBBY
(to Alice)
If you ever decide to cheat on
me, I recommend Tom. You two
think alike.
He
leaves the room.
Tom
looks horrified.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT
Bobby
opens a bottle of champagne. He's alone.
Pop!
He pours himself a glass, sips.
At
the computer, where an email has been started. He types.
BOBBY (VO)
I'm faxing the signed contract to
you tonight.
Click,
he sends it.
He
goes to the desk and signs the contract.
He
faxes if off.
He
toasts.
23.
BOBBY
To the gods of literature! And to
the Marianne Toledo Literary
Agency!
EXT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - DAY
Students
cross campus between classes.
INT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - BOBBY'S OFFICE - DAY
Bobby
reads a manuscript. Sitting, waiting anxiously, is
Jennifer.
Now
and again Bobby peers up from his reading. Looking at
Jennifer,
he imagines:
INT.
BEDROOM - NIGHT (FANTASY)
Wild
lovemaking, Jennifer on top, riding him, nearing
orgasm...
BACK
TO REALITY
Bobby
coughs, recovers, goes back to reading.
Jennifer
looks like she's going to pass out from waiting for
a
verdict.
EXT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - DAY
Bobby
and Jennifer walk across campus together.
JENNIFER
I can't believe you think it's
that good.
BOBBY
The kernel, the concept. First
rate. You still have work to do
on the execution.
JENNIFER
That's the nicest thing anyone
ever said about my writing. Thank
you so much, Prof. Sharp. I'll
see you in class!
She
flits off like a happy butterfly.
24.
Bobby
watches her ass as she goes.
PROF. ANDREWS
Nasty thoughts, professor.
Andrews
has appeared beside him. Bobby ignores the remark.
PROF. ANDREWS
Rumor has it that an agent is
ecstatic over your novel.
BOBBY
Some things, professor, are more
important than the Sherwood Best
Novel Prize.
Bobby
smiles and departs.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT
Bobby
at the computer, typing an email.
BOBBY (VO)
I'm so encouraged by your
enthusiasm that I've started a
new novel. A two-year writing
block has ended! May the gods of
literature bless you, Marianne
Toledo.
A
SERIES OF SHOTS
Bobby
in the focused heat of creation, writing at the
computer.
--late
at night, in his shorts
--early
in the morning, in his robe
--taking
notes at the dinner table, ignoring Alice.
--waking
up in the middle of the night to scribble notes in
a
bedside journal.
--back
at the computer. Writing, writing, writing.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - DAY
Bobby,
dressed for school, checking his mail.
25.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
Alice
setting the small table.
ALICE
Breakfast!
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - DAY
Bobby
listening to an email.
COMPUTER VOICE
As you know, in an agent-author
relationship, the author is
responsible for postage and other
specific expenses associated with
marketing your book. To this end,
please forward a check for $300,
which should cover about six
months of my marketing expenses
on your wonderful novel. As soon
as I receive your check, the
marketing will begin. I don't
expect it to take long to place
it.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - DAY
Bobby
and Alice eat breakfast. Silence until:
ALICE
You're unusually quiet. Anything
going on?
BOBBY
Thinking about my lecture.
He
may fool Alice but he doesn't fool us.
INT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - BOBBY'S OFFICE - DAY
Bobby
at his desk. His checkbook out. Should he write it or
not?
He
puts down the checkbook. He goes to the computer in the
office.
Brings up the email program.
Typing.
26.
BOBBY (VO)
I have a question about your
request for marketing expenses. I
was under the impression that the
standard practice was to deduct
these from money from the sale
rather than asking for them up
front.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT
Bobby
getting the agent's response.
COMPUTER VOICE
You are perfectly right! However,
since my agency is new, at this
point in time I have no income,
and I think it is fair if the
client helps me during this
transition period by paying for
specific project-related costs
upfront. If this is a burden for
you, of course I can make an
exception. I want nothing to get
in the way of our relationship,
which I expect to be a long one
to our mutual benefit.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Alice
puts down a magazine and gets up from reading.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT
Bobby
is at the desk, writing a check. Alice enters.
Bobby
guiltily tries to hide what he is doing.
ALICE
I think I'll visit Nancy. She
hasn't been feeling well.
BOBBY
Give her my best.
ALICE
What are you doing?
BOBBY
Just paying some bills.
27.
ALICE
I may be late.
She
is gone. Bobby finishes the check, rips it out.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT (LATER)
Bobby
at the computer.
BOBBY (VO)
As the old cliche goes,
"check's
in the mail."
INT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - GYM - DAY
Bobby
and Tom playing handball. Both are not in the best of
shape,
making it an inept but close game.
INT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - LOCKER ROOM - DAY
Bobby
and Tom dress after a shower.
TOM
Any word from the agent?
BOBBY
She's starting to send out the
manuscript.
TOM
Good. I hope it works out for
you.
BOBBY
Do you?
TOM
Of course I do. What a thing to
say.
BOBBY
I'm sorry. I've been in the
margins for so long, I can't
remember who my friends are.
TOM
I'm your friend. Remember it.
28.
INT.
MOTEL - DAY
Good
enough a friend to bang his wife: Alice and Tom are at
it
again.
EXT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - PARKING LOT - DAY
Bobby
unlocks his car.
Jennifer
calls across the lot.
JENNIFER
Prof. Sharp, wait a minute!
She
rushes up, all smiles and wonder.
JENNIFER
I got into UCLA! I'm so thrilled!
I'm sure your letter of
recommendation helped.
She
throws herself into his startled arms. Bobby is beside
himself.
Finally he maneuvers apart.
BOBBY
You're going to love graduate
school.
JENNIFER
I'm sure of it. I'm absolutely
sure of it.
She
spontaneously kisses him on the cheek.
JENNIFER
I have to find Cal and tell him.
Thanks for everything!
And
she's off in a whirlwind.
BOBBY
(after her)
Give my best to ... Cal ...
INT.
MOTEL - DAY
Alice
and Tom dress, preparing to leave.
TOM
Why don't you leave him?
29.
ALICE
Bobby wouldn't survive without
me.
TOM
Don't underestimate him. What's
in the relationship for you? You
said you haven't had sex with him
in over a year.
ALICE
He doesn't need a lover. He needs
a mother. I cook and do his
laundry.
TOM
That's exactly my point.
ALICE
If I didn't cook him healthy
meals, he'd live on junk food and
be dead in six months. I'm tied
up for the rest of the week.
Don't call. I'll call you when
I'm free.
And
she is out the door, leaving Tom looked puzzled and
frustrated.
EXT.
COLLEGE CAMPUS - FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY
Graduation
exercises.
Alice
helps Bobby with his cap and gown.
BOBBY
How do I look?
ALICE
Very professorial.
BOBBY
Let's go away this summer.
ALICE
Summer's always your writing
time.
BOBBY
I'm not a frustrated novelist any
more. I'm not driven to have to
prove myself. I've been
neglecting
you, I know it and you know.
(MORE)
30.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
Let's take some time off and do
something together. Maybe camp
across the country.
Alice
is practically in a state of shock.
ALICE
You're going to be late. We'll
talk about it later.
Bobby
moves off to get ready for the procession.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Bobby
and Alice at dinner. A different look: candles, wine,
a
rare romantic setting for them.
BOBBY
I'm going to the MLA convention
in two weeks.
ALICE
You never go to those things.
BOBBY
You know why? Because someone is
bound to ask, How's the writing
going? I finally can tell them.
Alice
starts to say something, catches herself. She visibly
is
not as optimistic as Bobby about what is happening with
the
agent.
BOBBY
You could come along if you like.
ALICE
Oh great, three days trapped with
several thousand English
professors. I can't think of a
better way to spend a weekend.
BOBBY
It's in Boston. You could go to
museums, shop till you drop.
ALICE
Let me think about it.
31.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Bobby
and Alice getting ready to bed. Some awkwardness, they
haven't
actually gone to bed at the same time in a very long
time.
They
get into bed. An awkward silence, each staring at the
ceiling.
Bobby
rolls toward her. He gently touches her face.
BOBBY
Have I ever told you how
beautifully you've aged?
ALICE
No, you haven't. And don't be
silly.
BOBBY
It's true.
Suddenly
he is under the covers, scooting down toward the
end
of the bed.
ALICE
Bobby!
He
pays her no mind.
ALICE
Stop it!
She
slides up the bed.
Bobby
comes out from under the covers.
BOBBY
I just wanted to kiss your
vagina.
ALICE
I know ... I'm sorry ...
BOBBY
Please don't say you have a
headache.
ALICE
It's been so long, Bobby ... it
feels, I don't know, like you're
a stranger ...
BOBBY
I guess I have been.
32.
ALICE
Let's work back into it slowly.
Can we do that?
BOBBY
Of course.
He
rolls back to his side of the bed.
BOBBY
I want to take up photography
again. I need a hobby.
ALICE
I thought you didn't like it when
you tried it before.
BOBBY
It was too technical then. They
have digital cameras now that do
everything for you.
ALICE
Then give it a try. I'll get you
a camera for your birthday.
BOBBY
I want to do a series on your
vagina.
ALICE
What?
BOBBY
I'd forgotten how wonderful it
is, just looking at it, the
smell, all that hair, the
sculpture of it, the--
ALICE
Stop it! You're making me blush.
BOBBY
Really? Good. That's a good sign.
I'd do a whole series and put
them in a book and call it
"Cuntry Portraits."
After
Shakespeare.
ALICE
I don't think I want my pussy in
a book, Bobby.
33.
BOBBY
Oh, come on. Nobody will know
it's you.
ALICE
I can't imagine doing all that
posing.
BOBBY
We can spread it out over time.
ALICE
Why don't you razzle dazzle one
of your students? One of them
would probably be flattered to
have her pussy photographed.
BOBBY
Really? You wouldn't mind?
But
Alice obviously would mind.
ALICE
I was making a joke.
She
elbows him in the ribs.
ALICE
Go to sleep.
She
leans over and turns out the light.
A
silence.
BOBBY
Goodnight, Alice.
ALICE
Goodnight, Bobby.
EXT.
AIRPORT - DAY
Establishing.
INT.
AIRPORT - TERMINAL - DAY
Bobby
and Alice in line for boarding. Bobby has a carry-on
bag.
ALICE
Have a safe flight. Call me so I
know you're safe.
34.
BOBBY
I will, sweetie.
He
kisses her.
Alice
watches him go. There is something both sad and
hopeful
in her expression, as if she's torn between trying
again
with him or not.
EXT.
BOSTON - CONVENTION CENTER - DAY
English
professors stream in for the MLA convention.
INT.
BOSTON - CONVENTION CENTER - ROOM - DAY
Social
and welcoming hour of the MLA convention. Several
thousand
professors mingle with drinks in their hands.
Bobby
appears somewhat lost. Maybe he shouldn't have come.
Then
a familiar voice:
ANDY
Bobby! Bobby Sharp! Hey, buddy,
you're the last guy I expected to
see here.
ANDY,
50s, arrives, bearded, pony tail.
BOBBY
Andy, hey! I didn't think I was
going to know anybody here.
ANDY
I thought you hated these things.
BOBBY
Well, I thought I'd better check
one out before I retire.
ANDY
Glad you did. I've got news to
share. Can I buy you a drink
later? You have any dinner plans?
BOBBY
Yes and no.
35.
ANDY
Great! Listen, I'll meet you out
front after this is over, okay? I
got a lady I'm supposed to meet.
I may score, old friend. At my
age, can you imagine? It's really
great to see you!
And
he's gone. And Bobby again looks lost.
EXT.
BOSTON - CONVENTION CENTER - NIGHT
Bobby
waits outside. Andy arrives, a pretty young professor
on
his arm. This is HEATHER GOODWELL, 20s.
ANDY
Am I late?
BOBBY
Not very.
ANDY
I'd like you to meet Heather
Goodwell, Bobby Sharp. We were in
grad school together. Did we
raise hell in those days or what?
HEATHER
Nice to meet you.
BOBBY
You, too.
ANDY
Heather's the up-and-coming
authority on flower imagery in
Marlowe's plays.
BOBBY
I thought Shakespeare was the
flower guy.
ANDY
(to Heather)
The guy's wit is like a razor.
INT.
BOSTON - RESTAURANT - NIGHT
After
dinner, Bobby, Andy and Heather have coffee and brandy.
36.
HEATHER
(to Andy)
Have you told him yet?
ANDY
Just about to.
BOBBY
Tell me what?
ANDY
I have very good news to share.
Fantastic news. I'm humbled, I'm
overjoyed ...
HEATHER
Andy, tell him.
Andy
takes a letter out of his coat pocket. He passes it
across
the table to Bobby.
Bobby
is stunned when he sees the letterhead: The Marianne
Toledo
Literary Agency. He starts reading.
MARIANNE TOLEDO (VO)
I read your poem-novel in one
sitting. I am speechless. It is
amazing. It is graced with drama,
suspense, intrigue. It profoundly
speaks to the human condition. I
would be very proud to be the
literary agent for such a
spectacular novel. I believe
publication and prizes are in the
future for this wonderful book.
I've attached my agent-writer
contract for you to sign and fax
to me.
Word
for word, exactly what Bobby received from her by email.
His
hands are shaking.
ANDY
People thought I was crazy,
writing an entire novel in rhymed
couplets. 700-plus pages, baby --
and she read it in one sitting!
Does she have good literary
tastes or what?
Bobby
looks like he's going to get sick. He struggles up and
bolts
away.
37.
ANDY
Bobby?
INT.
RESTAURANT - MEN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Bobby
splashes water on his face.
He
stares at himself in the mirror.
Andy
enters.
ANDY
You okay, buddy?
BOBBY
Yeah, I ... I think I ate
something that didn't settle
right. Listen, I'd better call it
a night ...
ANDY
You sure? Brandy sometimes
settles the stomach.
BOBBY
No, I feel like crashing ... and
you have Heather to keep you
company ...
ANDY
Is she hot or what? It's amazing
how many young women want to go
to bed with their fathers.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Alice
and Tom having a candle light dinner. The phone rings.
INT.
BOSTON - HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Bobby
with the phone in one hand, an open whiskey bottle in
the
other.
INTERCUT
ALICE
Hello?
BOBBY
My flight comes in at 4 in the
morning.
38.
ALICE
Bobby, are you drunk?
BOBBY
You don't have to pick me up.
I'll take a cap. I just wanted
you to know it's me coming in the
house.
ALICE
Tomorrow morning?
BOBBY
Four. Probably five before I get
there.
ALICE
Why are you coming home early?
What happened?
BOBBY
It's a long story.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DINING ROOM - NIGHT
Alice
returns.
ALICE
It was Bobby. He's coming home.
TOM
You mean now?
ALICE
Early in the morning. You can't
spend the night.
TOM
What happened?
ALICE
I have no idea.
INT.
AIRPORT - TERMINAL - DAY (SUNRISE)
Bobby
enters the terminal, looking physically and mentally
beat.
A real mess.
To
his surprise, Alice is waiting for him. They embrace.
ALICE
What happened?
39.
BOBBY
I need to put it together. First
I need sleep. A whole lot of
sleep.
They
head out. Alice has her arm around him.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
Alice
is making herself a sandwich.
Bobby
enters. He looks a tad better but not much.
ALICE
You want lunch?
BOBBY
Maybe later.
He
plops down at the small table off the kitchen. Alice
joins
him.
BOBBY
I was a fool, Alice.
She
waits for him to go on.
BOBBY
Andy was there.
ALICE
Andy Lakowski?
Bobby
nods.
ALICE
My God. Talk about ghosts from
the past. How is he?
BOBBY
Still has his pony tail. Still
chases women.
ALICE
Andy Lakowski ... so he's not
still married to Mary?
BOBBY
I'm not sure.
ALICE
God, I would've been so curious,
it's the first thing I would've
asked.
40.
BOBBY
He showed me a letter ... from
Marianne Toledo. Exactly the same
as the email I got. Word for word
for word for fucking word.
ALICE
Oh my God ...
BOBBY
A goddamn boilerplate letter of
literary accolades.
ALICE
Bobby, I'm so sorry.
BOBBY
She represents the lowest form of
human existence.
ALICE
Thank God you found out now.
BOBBY
I sent her three hundred dollars.
ALICE
When?
BOBBY
Weeks ago. For marketing.
ALICE
Well -- consider it a lesson well
learned and move on.
BOBBY
I don't want her to get away with
this. I don't want her to put
other writers through this.
ALICE
You can send a complaint to the
Better Business Bureau.
BOBBY
It's not personal enough.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT
Bobby
at the computer, staring at a blank email, his hands
in
his lap. In his head:
41.
BOBBY (VO)
You cruel lying double-crossing
cunt, I'd like to tie you to a
medieval torture contraption and
stretch your guts till they break
like violin strings.
A
window pops open and an audio message plays.
COMPUTER VOICE
A new email has arrived in your
box. Do you want to hear it now?
Bobby
clicks yes.
COMPUTER VOICE
You have one new message. Message
one. Subject: Unusual emergency.
Message: Would it be possible for
you to forward another two
hundred dollars as soon as
possible, which of course will be
credited to your marketing account?
Click.
The sound is turned off. Bobby looks outraged, ready
to
explode. He is shaking until he can't hold it in any
longer.
BOBBY
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Alice
rushes in.
ALICE
Bobby?
He
storms past her.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Bobby
has a suitcase on the bed. Alice enters.
ALICE
What is it?
He
starts throwing clothes into the bag.
BOBBY
I have to leave for a few days.
ALICE
Leave where?
42.
BOBBY
You have to trust me on this.
ALICE
Bobby, what is going on?
BOBBY
I don't have time to explain.
ALICE
Where are you going?
BOBBY
I'll call you when I get settled.
Bobby
throws a digital camera into the suitcase. He slams it
shut,
grabs it and goes.
ALICE
Bobby!?
She
races after him.
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - NIGHT
Bobby
walks quickly to his car, Alice right behind him. In
addition
to a suitcase, he carries a laptop computer.
ALICE
At least tell me where you're
going.
BOBBY
You won't approve.
ALICE
Maybe I'll surprise you.
BOBBY
I'm going to do this, Alice,
whether you approve or not. I
don't want to leave with an
argument. I need you to trust me.
I know what I'm doing.
He
gets in the car.
ALICE
Call me!
Bobby
starts the car and is out of there.
43.
EXT.
FREEWAY ENTRANCE - NIGHT
Bobby
gets on the freeway.
INT.
CAR - NIGHT
He
is focused, determined, driving into the night.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - NIGHT
Alice
comes into the den. She sees the email on the computer.
She
starts reading.
Her
expression suggests she realizes what is about to
happen
-- and it's not good.
EXT.
DIFFERENT TOWN - MOTEL - DAY
Early
morning. Bobby's car parked in front of a room.
INT.
MOTEL - DAY
Bobby
finishes shaving.
He
stares at himself in the mirror.
A
deep breath. A slow exhale.
He's
ready to go.
EXT.
INTERSTATE - DAY
Bobby's
car speeds down the Interstate.
A
sign reads: "Portland - 330 miles"
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DEN - DAY
Alice
is showing Tom the email.
ALICE
I think he went to find her.
TOM
He drove to Oregon?
44.
ALICE
Obviously. I said he went to find
her.
TOM
I'm not the enemy here, Alice.
ALICE
I'm very upset, okay? I'm afraid
what he might do to her.
TOM
Well, she sounds like a crook to
me.
ALICE
That's not the issue. He'll do
something he'll regret, something
that may get him in trouble. He's
taking it personally. He's just
another victim of a scam. It has
nothing to do with him, really.
TOM
Alice, maybe you should look more
carefully at what's going on now.
ALICE
I'm not sure what you mean.
TOM
Maybe this is the time to leave
him.
ALICE
This is the least opportune time
to leave him.
TOM
Let him make his own mistakes.
There's nothing to keep you here.
At least you don't have kids.
ALICE
At least I--
She
looks outraged. She slaps him - hard.
TOM
What's that about?
45.
ALICE
Infertility is not something to
say "at least" about.
Now get the
hell out of here.
TOM
I didn't know you were so
sensitive. I'm sorry, I--
ALICE
Get out!
Tom
gets the message.
EXT.
INTERSTATE - DAY
Bobby's
car zips along.
INT.
CAR - DAY
Bobby
struggling to look at a map as he drives.
EXT.
INTERSTATE - OTHER AREA - DAY
Moving
to slow lane.
INT.
CAR - DAY
Bobby
hunched forward, looking for his exit.
EXT.
INTERSTATE - EXIT LANE - DAY
His
car turns off the Interstate.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
Bobby's
car approaches a small town.
A
sign reads: Cottonwood ... Pup. 5435
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - OFFICE - DAY
Bobby
checking in.
MOTEL CLERK
Is that for one night?
46.
BOBBY
Do you have weekly rates?
MOTEL CLERK
Yes, we do.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL ROOM - DAY
Bobby
on the phone. Leaves a message.
BOBBY
Alice, it's me. I'm glad you're
not there actually, so we don't
start fighting. I'm safe and
sound. I decided not to tell you
where I am, so you don't do
something crazy. Call the police
or some damn thing. I know you
think I flipped out. Do I sound
over the edge to you? I'm Mr.
Cool and Collect. Never been more
relaxed in my life. Consider me
off on a little private
adventure.
I'll be here a few days, I think.
I'll get back to you soon.
He
hangs up.
Throws
the suitcase on the bed. Unzips it. Deep in thought.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL ROOM - DAY (LATER)
The
room looks different, more lived in now. He's unpacked
and
gotten relaxed. Poured himself a drink.
Bobby
is on the phone again.
BOBBY
Yes, Prof. Jacobs in
Zoology...Thank you...Ned, Bobby
Sharp in the English Department
here...Say, this may sound like a
wacky thing to ask but I'm out of
town, researching a book, and an
old friend of mine from grad
school here is opening up a
roadside zoo, you know, one of
those things you find scattered
around the west?
(MORE)
47.
BOBBY (CONT'D)
and anyway, he was wondering how
in hell a guy went about
procuring
small animals, you know, like
bats, snakes...Really?...I had no
idea it was so easy...Let me get
something to write on.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - DAY
Bobby
comes out and gets in the car.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - MAIN STREET - DAY
Main
Street. Bobby's car is parked on the street.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - CAFE - DAY
Bobby
finishes up an early dinner. The WAITRESS comes over
to
get his empty plate.
WAITRESS
Well, you must have been hungry.
BOBBY
It was great. I can't remember
the last time I saw liver and
onions on the menu.
She
smiles, giving him a "where have you been?" look.
INT.
CAR - DAY
Bobby
sits behind the wheel. He opens a folder on the seat
beside
him. He takes on a sheet on which he's written notes.
One
item is an address for Marianne Toledo.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
Bobby's
car cruises slowly through a neighborhood. The
street
is filled with Cottonwood trees. Small town America.
He
passes KIDS playing ball in the street.
He
passes a MAN watering his lawn.
Several
porches are filled with RESIDENTS sitting and
watching
him pass by.
48.
INT.
CAR - DAY
Bobby
looks for an address, cruising. Then he finds it.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
The
car pulls to the curb.
INT.
CAR - DAY
Bobby
turns off the engine. He stares at the house he's
parked
in front of.
No
car in the driveway. No sign of activity.
Bobby
is thinking.
He
starts the engine again.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
His
car pulls away from the curb.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - VARIETY STORE - DAY
Bobby
pushes a cart through a store. In the cart are
binoculars,
a case of water bottles, a notebook, pens, cans
of
spray paint, a knife, a travel alarm clock.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - DAY
Bobby's
car parked in front of his room.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - DAY
Bobby
at the laptop computer, composing an email.
ON
THE SCREEN
The
message is going to The Marianne Toledo Literary Agency.
Bobby
types: "If you think you're going to get away with
this,
guess again."
He
stares at the computer screen, thinking. Then he clicks
delete.
He doesn't send the email.
49.
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - NIGHT
Tom's
car pulls in front of the house. He gets out.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - NIGHT
Alice
lets him in.
TOM
Alice, I'm really sorry.
ALICE
I said you're forgiven if you do
something for me.
TOM
What's that?
ALICE
I think I know where Bobby is. I
want you to go there and persuade
him to come home.
TOM
Alice...
ALICE
Either say yes, or get the hell
out.
TOM
If I say yes, when do I have to
leave?
Alice
smiles flirtatiously.
ALICE
I'd give you till tomorrow
morning.
TOM
And tonight?
ALICE
Is that a yes?
TOM
I'm not sure.
ALICE
If it was, we could celebrate.
TOM
Alice...
50.
ALICE
I'm serious, Tom. Your decision.
Tom
exhales. He knows he's a goner.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
Bobby
parked across and down from the Toledo house. Waiting.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - DAY
Alice
and Tom wake up.
Tom
makes an amorous advance. Alice rejects it and gets out
of
bed.
ALICE
You want to make an early start.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
MARIANNE
TOLEDO comes outside. Pretty, 30s, not your picture
of
a scam artist.
INT.
CAR - DAY
Bobby
is snapping photos of her like crazy.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
Marianne
gets in her car in the driveway.
A
SERIES OF SHOTS - FOLLOWING MARIANNE
Bobby
follows Marianne as
--she
pulls out of the driveway and heads out.
--drives
through town.
--enters
a neighborhood the other side of town.
--pulls
into a driveway.
EXT.
PARENTS' HOUSE - DAY
Marianne's
aging parents, JOE and MABEL, come outside to
welcome
her.
51.
INT.
CAR - DAY
Again,
Bobby is snapping photos like crazy.
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - DAY
Alice
sending Tom off on his trip.
ALICE
Call me. Often.
TOM
If he's doing what you think he's
doing, the only way to stop him
is to call the police. You know
that, don't you?
ALICE
Then do it, Tom. Do what needs to
be done.
EXT.
INTERSTATE - DAY
Tom's
car on a stretch of Interstate that Bobby traveled
before.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - NIGHT
Bobby
works on the laptop.
He's
loaded the photos he took earlier. He's working with a
photo
of the parents.
He
doctors the photograph, creating a photo of Marianne's
parents
sitting in an electric chair, side by side, as if
about
to be executed.
A
gruesome photograph is created.
Bobby
adds the caption: "No one is safe!"
He
looks very pleased with himself.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - COPY CENTER - DAY
Bobby's
car is parked in front of a copy center.
52.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - COPY CENTER - DAY
Bobby
sits at a computer, printing the photograph of
Marianne's
parents being executed.
He
looks at it. Just right.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - MAIN STREET - DAY
Bobby
drops a manila folder into a mail box. The photo is on
its
way.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - DAY
Tom's
car enters on Main Street.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - DAY
Cruising
by the motel, Tom sees Bobby's car. He pulls into
the
parking lot.
INT.
MOTEL - DAY
Someone
knocks on the door. Bobby answers it.
Tom,
standing there shaking his head.
Bobby
moves aside, and Tom enters.
TOM
Alice sent me, obviously. She
thinks you're up to some pretty
strange things, old friend. Is
she right?
BOBBY
Of course not.
TOM
Then what are you doing here?
BOBBY
See the laptop? I'm working on a
new novel. It's going damn well,
too.
TOM
In Cottonwood, Oregon, which
happens to be the address of The
Marianne Toledo Literary Agency?
53.
BOBBY
Okay, I told her off. It feels
like poetic justice writing my
new book here. This is the one
that will break open the market
for me, Tom. I can feel it in my
bones.
Tom
looks like he's heard this many times before -- which he
has.
TOM
What do I tell Alice?
BOBBY
I don't care.
TOM
How long will you be staying
here?
BOBBY
Not too much longer. Are you
getting a room or heading back now?
TOM
I could use a drink.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - BAR - DAY
A
cocktail lounge in a restaurant. Pretty empty at mid-day.
Bobby
and Tom sit at the bar.
TOM
Maybe you should call her.
BOBBY
She wouldn't believe me. You have
to convince her. You're much more
persuasive than I am.
TOM
What did you tell the agent?
BOBBY
I went easy on her. She's kinda
cute.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - RESTAURANT - PARKING LOT - DAY
They
stand at Tom's car in the lot.
54.
BOBBY
You go on, I'll walk back.
TOM
Don't be silly.
BOBBY
I have some errands to do.
TOM
Well. I'm not sure what Alice is
going to say. She was pretty
certain she had you figured out.
BOBBY
She did. I just didn't wig out as
much as she expected.
TOM
Okay. Take care of yourself,
Bobby. I still think you should
call her.
BOBBY
I will. Have a safe trip.
He
watches Tom get in and pull away. He grins.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - NEIGHBORHOOD - TOLEDO HOUSE - DAY
Marianne
comes out to get the mail. The manila envelope has
been
delivered.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - DAY
She
opens the large envelope and takes out the photo.
Her
parents being executed.
She
gasps. The photo falls to the floor.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - COFFEE BAR - DAY
Marianne
sits with her friend, JULIE, at a coffee bar. They
have
glasses of white wine.
Julie
looks at the large envelope.
55.
JULIE
A NY return address. Give me a
break, the postmark is local. I
think it was a sick teenager.
They're the only ones who know
how to manufacture fake pictures
like this.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
But who would do such a thing? As
far as I know, I don't have an
enemy in the world.
JULIE
It's anonymous. Photos of your
parents are on your brother's
website, remember? His family
album? A sick kid found it,
downloaded, made up the picture,
got your address -- this isn't
anything personal, for God's
sake.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
What a world we live in.
EXT.
ANOTHER STATE - MOTEL - NIGHT
Tom's
car parked in front of a room.
INT.
ANOTHER STATE - MOTEL - NIGHT
Tom
on the phone.
TOM
Alice, I'm just telling you what
he told me.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Alice
on the phone.
ALICE
You are so gullible.
INTERCUT
TOM
Why can't he be working on a new
book? He's a writer. That's what
writers do.
56.
ALICE
He would not go to Cottonwood,
Oregon, to write a new book.
TOM
He has a sense of irony. I mean,
there's a certain sick sense to
it.
ALICE
Get back there.
TOM
Alice...
ALICE
If you don't get back there, I'll
never speak to you again. I know
my husband. I know him like a
book. If he's lying about it, it
worries me more than ever. You
have to stop him before he does
something we all regret.
A
silence.
ALICE
Okay, I'm on my way.
TOM
Alice! I'll go back...
ALICE
I should've taken care of this
myself in the first place.
TOM
Alice--!
But
she hangs up on him.
Tom
slams down the phone.
TOM
God damn it!
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - NEIGHBORHOOD - NIGHT
Very
late. All the houses are dark.
Bobby's
car pulls up in front of Marianne's house. her car
is
in the driveway.
57.
His
headlights go off. Bobby gets out and approaches the
house.
EXT.
NEIGHBORHOOD - TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
Marianne's
car is parked in the driveway.
Bobby
looks around. Dead silence. Everyone is in bed.
Bobby
approaches the car. He has the knife in hand.
He
stoops at a tire -- and slashes it. And the next. And the
next.
Full house.
He
approaches the side of the house. He takes out a can of
spray
paint.
He
sprays graffiti on the side of the house.
Some
of it reads: "The agent from hell" ... "Scam artist!"
Bobby
looks very satisfied with himself.
He
moves to the back of the house. More graffiti.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Marianne
asleep in bed.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - FRONT - NIGHT
Bobby
back in the front of the house. He's found a hose,
which
he attaches to a connection at the front corner of the
house.
He
pulls the hose to the front door.
He
inserts the hose into a mail slot in the door.
He
hurries back to the connection and turns on the water.
This
done, he runs to the car. Gets in. Starts up.
The
car, lights still out, moves down the street.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY
Early
morning. Marianne stirs in bed.
She
wakes up.
58.
Slowly
a distant sound reaches her consciousness. She hears
something.
She
sits up, attentive.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - FRONT FOYER - DAY
Water
everywhere, the foyer and front room flooding.
Marianne,
in a robe, enters -- and sees the disaster.
She
gasps.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - DAY
Bobby
wakes up.
He
gets out of bed and stumbles into the bathroom.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - PORCH - DAY
A
POLICE OFFICER waits on the porch.
Marianne
appears from around the side of the house. She's
dressed.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I don't know why this is
happening
to me.
POLICE OFFICER
Is this your car, ma'am?
For
the first time, she sees the four slashed tires. She
breaks
down.
POLICE OFFICER
Let's go to the station, ma'am.
You can file your report.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Who is doing this to me?
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - DAY
Bobby's
car cruises slowly by. No activity.
59.
INT.
CAR - DAY
Bobby
is straining to see signs of life inside. What is
going
on?
INT.
COTTONWOOD - CAFE - DAY
Bobby
at the same table. Same waitress, taking his order.
BOBBY
The chicken fried steak.
WAITRESS
Got it. First time on the menu?
BOBBY
This one I've seen before.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - POLICE STATION - DAY
Marianne
sits at a table with the police officer, who is
filling
out a report.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I'm a literary agent. I have my
own business.
POLICE OFFICER
Apparently you rejected the wrong
writer. "The agent from
hell!"
Marianne
looks uncomfortable.
POLICE OFFICER
You look like you have an idea
who it might be.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
No, I haven't been in business
long. All my clients I found
myself. I haven't rejected anyone
yet.
POLICE OFFICER
Then apparently one of your
clients is unhappy. "Scam
agent!"
What's that about?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I have no idea. I haven't done a
thing to aggravate anyone.
60.
POLICE OFFICER
Can we get a list of your
clients?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Of course. I didn't know I had an
enemy in the world.
The
police officer writes something in the report.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Is it safe for me to go home?
POLICE OFFICER
I suppose that depends on whether
or not this dissatisfied client
got enough strokes by doing this.
What we can do is, increase our
patrols in the neighborhood.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Yes, please do that. I haven't
done a single thing to any of my
clients but praise their work.
POLICE OFFICER
I don't know what to tell you,
ma'am.
Marianne
doesn't look reassured.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - DAY
Bobby
on the phone.
BOBBY
How are those shipped? The thing
is, I'm a one-man business and
would need something I can handle
myself....That would work. Let's
do it that way.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - DAY
Bobby
cruises by and now sees considerable change.
Water-soaked
and ruined carpet on the front lawn.
House
painters at work, painting over the graffiti.
A
great tube in the front door, sucking out the water.
61.
INT.
CAR - DAY
Bobby
looks delighted with the results.
EXT.
JULIE'S HOUSE - DAY
Julie
parks in her driveway. She and Alice get out.
They
take several suitcases out of the trunk.
JULIE
Don't look that way. You're going
to stay here till you feel
absolutely safe going home.
ALICE
I hate to put you out like this.
JULIE
Don't be ridiculous.
They
head for the door with Alice's bags.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Bobby
pulls to the curb and gets out.
A
LANDLORD moves forward to greet him.
LANDLORD
Mr. Sharp?
BOBBY
Right.
LANDLORD
Well, let me show you around.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Landlord
gives Bobby the tour of the house.
BOBBY
Rent are so much cheaper here
than where I come from.
LANDLORD
Advantage of a small town.
62.
BOBBY
Like I say, I only need it for a
month while I wait for the house
I bought to close. Is this a
problem?
LANDLORD
To be honest, the market hasn't
been too good. I'll take what I
can get.
BOBBY
Then I think we have a deal.
EXT.
INTERSTATE - DAY
Alice's
car zips down the Interstate.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - DAY
Tom's
car parked outside the office at Bobby's old motel.
INT.
MOTEL - DAY
Tom
signing in.
MOTEL CLERK
How long will you be staying?
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Bobby
carries his bag and laptop inside. His car is in the
driveway.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
No
furniture. A bare house.
Bobby
looks around and seems shocked by what he sees.
BOBBY
Damn.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - VARIETY STORE - DAY
Bobby
pushing a cart. He's bought a sleeping bag, air
mattress
and pump, Coleman stove and lantern, camping set of
pans
and plates, etc.
63.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - NIGHT
The
lantern is lit.
Bobby
pumps up the air mattress. He obviously is going to
camp
out in the small house.
EXT.
INTERSTATE - MOTEL - NIGHT
Alice
pulls into a motel off the Interstate.
INT.
INTERSTATE - MOTEL - NIGHT
Alice
getting settled.
Not
the motel phone but her cell phone rings.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - NIGHT
Tom
is calling.
INTERCUT
ALICE
Hello?
TOM
Thank God I got you. Where are
you?
ALICE
The question is, where are you?
TOM
Back in Cottonwood.
ALICE
At a motel?
TOM
Of course.
ALICE
I'm still a few hours away. Give
me directions. We can have a late
breakfast together.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY
Bobby
is nailing boards to cover up the windows in a small
bedroom
in the house...
64.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - BEDROOM DOOR - DAY
...and
installing a latch and lock outside the door.
EXT.
RESTAURANT - DAY
Alice's
and Tom's cars both parked outside a restaurant.
INT.
RESTAURANT - TABLE - DAY
Over
breakfast.
ALICE
When did he check out?
TOM
I'm not sure.
ALICE
Did you ask?
TOM
Ah ... I can't remember.
ALICE
You didn't ask. Christ, Tom, what
kind of a detective are you?
TOM
I didn't want this job, Alice.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - DAY
A
delivery van is parked outside the office. The DRIVE
stands
with the motel clerk.
MOTEL CLERK
He told me to tell you he's at
this address.
DRIVER
My instructions are to deliver
here.
MOTEL CLERK
But he's not here any more. He's
at this address.
DRIVER
Jesus H. Christ.
65.
He
climbs back into the truck.
As
the van pulls away, Alice's car follows Tom's car into
the
motel parking lot.
They
park and get out.
TOM
I'll change my room from single
to double occupancy.
ALICE
I want my own room.
TOM
Alice...
ALICE
It doesn't mean I won't sleep
with you. It means I want my own
room.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
The
driver opens the back of the van.
DRIVER
Where you want them?
BOBBY
Inside.
Driver
uses a dolly to load two small crates. He pushes them
up
the walk, up the steps, over the door foundation and
inside.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Driver
notices the lack of furniture, the camping equipment
and
sleeping bag.
BOBBY
The moving van is late.
DRIVER
I'd say so. Where do I drop this?
BOBBY
In the corner is fine.
Driver
does so. He holds out something for Bobby to sign.
66.
Bobby
signs.
DRIVER
I know it's none of my business
... but what the hell you going
to do with those?
BOBBY
My brother and I are opening up a
roadside zoo.
DRIVER
Ah.
Satisfied,
he starts to leave.
BOBBY
I wonder if I could trouble you
for something.
DRIVER
What's that?
BOBBY
Now that I think about it, I need
to transport these today. I
wonder if you could put them in
my car. One would fit in trunk,
the other in the back seat.
DRIVER
I just moved them in, and now you
want me to move them out?
BOBBY
I'm sorry. It's worth twenty to
me.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DRIVEWAY - DAY
Driver
puts the crates in the car, one in trunk, one in back
seat.
BOBBY
I really appreciate it.
Gives
the driver a twenty. The driver looks amused.
He
climbs into the truck and is gone.
Bobby
moves to the crate in the trunk. Carefully he stoops
down
to peek through the breathing slats.
Something
startles him and he jerks back.
67.
In
fact, he looks a little terrified. He slams the trunk
door
shut.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL OFFICE - DAY
Alice
enters the office.
MOTEL CLERK
Help you?
ALICE
Yes. A few days ago a Bobby Smart
was staying here. He's my
brother,
and I wonder if he left a
forwarding address.
MOTEL CLERK
Oh, yes, for the delivery van.
ALICE
I thought he might. I wonder if I
could have it.
MOTEL CLERK
I don't see why not. He didn't
look like a crook to me.
He
laughs at his own joke.
EXT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - DAY
Alice
pounds on Tom's door. He opens it.
ALICE
I got his new address.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Bobby
drives off.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY (LATER)
Alice's
car pulls into the driveway.
INT.
ALICE'S CAR - DAY
Alice
behind the wheel.
68.
TOM
His car's not here.
ALICE
I can see that.
She
gets out.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Alice
snoops around. She peers in some windows.
Tom
follows along.
TOM
He doesn't have any furniture.
Moving
behind the house.
They
see the window boarded up on the inside.
TOM
What the hell is he doing?
ALICE
He's going to take her hostage.
TOM
Who?
ALICE
The agent. And keep her here.
TOM
Alice...
ALICE
I'm sure of it. We've got to find
her.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - DAY
Alice
pulls in front of the house and stops.
She
and Tom get out. But clearly no one is home.
ALICE
Maybe he already has her.
TOM
What if he actually is writing a
book?
69.
ALICE
He wasn't there writing, was he?
TOM
He has to eat sometime.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - CAFE - DAY
Which
is what Bobby is doing. The waitress arrives.
WAITRESS
Everything all right?
BOBBY
Perfect as usual.
WAITRESS
Good. Pie today?
BOBBY
Does the sun set in the west?
The
waitress seems to be thinking about it, trying to
remember
where the sun sets, what direction it might be.
WAITRESS
I guess it does!
She's
off to fetch pie.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Alice's
car parked on the street.
TOM
How long are we going to wait for
him?
ALICE
As long as it takes.
TOM
We should've brought two cars.
Alice
doesn't respond.
TOM
Personally I think this is a
waste of time.
ALICE
So walk back to the motel.
70.
Tom
thinks about it.
TOM
You won't give me a lift?
ALICE
I don't want to miss him.
Tom
opens the door.
ALICE
Close the door, for Chrissake.
She
starts the engine.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - NIGHT
Alice
parked again, alone, still waiting.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
Bobby
parked across from Marianne's house, waiting.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - NIGHT
It's
late now. Alice gives up first. She starts the engine.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
Bobby
starts the engine. But he doesn't drive off, he pulls
into
the driveway.
He
stops and gets out.
He
starts around the house, looking for something. He finds
it.
A window that isn't locked.
He
gets it open. With some difficulty, he manages to crawl
into
the house.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT (LATER)
The
front door opens and Bobby comes out. He leaves the door
open
behind him.
He
goes to the car, opens the trunk.
He
struggles with the crate but manages to lift it. With
difficulty,
he carries it inside the house.
71.
Back
to do the same thing with the crate in the back seat.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
Both
crates are inside. He carefully approaches one.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
He
finds tools in the trunk of his car.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
Bobby
works and gets the lid loose on one crate. But he
leaves
it on top.
He
does the same with the other. Then he lifts the lid and
quickly
peeks inside, slamming down the lid when he sees
what
he was looking for.
He
goes to the other crate. He pushes it across the room.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Bobby
pushes the crate into the bedroom.
Now
he removes the lid. He turns the crate upside down.
He
lifts the crate away -- leaving behind a pile of slimy,
wiggling
SNAKES.
He
hurries away, closing the bedroom door behind him.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
Back
at the other crate. He's thinking. Where to put this on?
He
makes a decision. He cracks the front door open, all the
quicker
to escape by.
He
removes the lid, tossing it aside, leaving the crate
where
it is -- and runs like hell to get out of there.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
He
exits the house, slamming the door behind him.
He
hurries to a front window and peeks inside.
72.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
BATS
already have come out of the crate and are flying
around
the room.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL - NIGHT
Alice
and Tom in bed in Tom's room, after sex.
Alice
gets up and starts dressing.
TOM
Not staying?
ALICE
I have an early start in the
morning.
Tom
doesn't say anything.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Alice's
car pulls up. She and Tom both get out.
They
walk to the front door.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Bobby
is brewing morning coffee on the camp stove in the room.
A
knock on the door.
He
goes to the window to see who it is. Oh my God. He looks
around,
as if looking for an escape route.
Suddenly
there's a tap on the window. Alice is on the other
side
of the glass, looking straight at him.
Bobby
gestures meekly and goes to the door.
Alice
barges in. Tom follows behind her.
ALICE
What is this about?
Looking
around.
ALICE
Don't you realize you can kill
yourself burning that in closed
quarters?
73.
BOBBY
You're thinking of charcoal.
ALICE
Where is she?
BOBBY
Who?
ALICE
The agent.
BOBBY
She isn't home?
Alice
considers him, trying to read him. She quickly moves
away,
starting a search of the house.
TOM
I tried to tell her you were
writing.
BOBBY
When Alice gets her mind set...
TOM
But why the house?
BOBBY
Actually...it's free rent...I'm
doing a favor for a guy. Keeping
the vandals away. Since what
happened to the agent,
everybody's
nervous.
Alice
reenters.
ALICE
What happened to the agent?
BOBBY
Somebody trashed her house.
ALICE
You, for instance?
BOBBY
Wish I'd thought of it. All I did
was yell at her and make a fool
of myself.
Alice
stares at him, trying to read him.
74.
BOBBY
You all had breakfast? I have
lots of cans of Dinty Moore's
Beef Stew.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - DAY
Julie's
car pulls to the curb.
INT.
JULIE'S CAR - DAY
Julie
is driving, Marianne beside her.
JULIE
Want to go inside?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
No point, really.
JULIE
I really don't mind you staying
with me.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I have to get my life back.
JULIE
Today then?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I have more work to do at the
library. Maybe after dinner?
JULIE
That works for me.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Bobby,
Alice and Tom come out.
ALICE
Bobby, sometimes you just don't
make any sense.
BOBBY
Look, I'll introduce you to the
landlord. He'll say exactly what
I told you. But if it'll make you
feel better...want me to do that?
75.
ALICE
Actually, yes. When can I meet
him?
BOBBY
I'll give him a call. Are you at
the motel?
ALICE
Room 102.
BOBBY
I'll call as soon as I learn his
schedule and can set something
up.
ALICE
One more question. Inside. The
bedroom. Why are the windows
boarded over?
BOBBY
Because the glass was broken. It
was just replaced, and I haven't
had a chance to take the boards
off yet. One of my projects for
today, as a matter of fact.
Alice
with the same inquiring look, measuring him.
ALICE
Okay. Give me a call then.
INT.
JULIE'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Julie
answers the phone.
JULIE
Hello?
INT.
LIBRARY - PAY PHONE - NIGHT
Marianne
on the phone.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Hi. Can you swing by at nine and
pick me up? I'm in the middle of
something and would like to keep
at it.
INTERCUT
76.
JULIE
No problem. Want me to bring your
bags?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
You don't have to do that.
JULIE
Don't be silly. It would save us
a trip.
INT.
COTTONWOOD - MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Alice
on the phone.
ALICE
How long will he be out of town?
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - NIGHT
Bobby
on his cell phone.
BOBBY
His daughter said till the end of
the week.
INTERCUT
ALICE
Either this is true or very
convenient for you.
BOBBY
Alice the Great Doubter. Why am I
not surprised?
ALICE
We need to talk.
BOBBY
Now?
ALICE
Tomorrow.
BOBBY
Day after tomorrow. I need to
finish a chapter tomorrow.
ALICE
Bobby...okay, day after tomorrow.
77.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - NIGHT
Bobby
comes out. He gets into his car.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
Bobby
pulls up and stops.
INT.
CAR - NIGHT
He
has food and coffee from a fast food restaurant. He's
obviously
settling in, on stake out.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
Later.
Julie's car pulls into the driveway.
INT.
JULIE'S CAR - NIGHT
Alice
riding shotgun.
JULIE
You sure you don't want me to
help you unpack?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I'm beat, I'll unpack tomorrow.
I'm taking a hot bath and going
straight to bed.
JULIE
Well, at least let me help you
with your bags.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
Marianne
and Julie get a suitcase each and head for the
front
door.
INT.
CAR - NIGHT
Bobby,
dozing, sees what is going on. He quickly perks up,
watching.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - PORCH - NIGHT
They
climb onto the porch.
78.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Just leave it. Thank you so much
for everything.
JULIE
You're sure you're okay with
this?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Whoever the sicko is, I think
he's gone on to other things. I'm
okay.
They
set down the bags and embrace.
INT.
CAR - NIGHT
Bobby
watches.
Julie
gets back into her car and drives away.
Marianne,
on the porch, digs for her keys...
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - PORCH - NIGHT
...and
finds them.
She
opens the door.
Sets
one bag inside. Sets the other bag inside.
And
enters.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - NIGHT
At
the same time, she closes the door and turns on the light.
Suddenly
bats dart through the room, as if coming from
everywhere.
Marianne
screams.
A
bat dive-bombs her. She runs across the room to get away.
She
tries to protect herself with her arms, dodging the
bats,
moving to the other end of the room.
She
heads for the bedroom.
79.
INT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Marianne
races into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.
In
the darkness, she catches her breath.
Safety.
No bats.
She
turns on the light.
She
steps forward, feels something, and stops in her tracks.
Snakes
slither all over the floor.
Marianne
screams again. She flees the bedroom.
Now
she races to the back door. A few bats have gotten into
this
area of the house and flutter about.
EXT.
TOLEDO HOUSE - FOLLOWING MARIANNE - NIGHT
Marianne
stumbles out of the house, runs up the driveway --
and
straight into the arms of Bobby, who has been waiting
for
her.
BOBBY
Come with me!
Marianne,
stunned, scared, does as she is told.
Bobby
leads her to his car. He opens the door for her.
INT.
CAR - NIGHT
Bobby
gets behind the wheel.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Who are you?
BOBBY
Your neighbor. We should go to
the police, right?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Right. Right...
Bobby
starts the engine.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - NIGHT
Bobby
pulls into the driveway.
80.
INT.
CAR - NIGHT
Marianne,
in a daze, comes out of it enough to wonder where
she
is.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I thought we were going to the
police.
BOBBY
I called them to meet us here.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
When?
BOBBY
On my cell. You were napping.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I was?
BOBBY
They're on their way.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - NIGHT
Bobby
helps her out of the car. He escorts her to the door.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - NIGHT
They
come inside, Bobby still helping her.
Marianne
looks confused by all the camping gear.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I don't understand where we
are...
Bobby,
for the first time, grabs her more aggressively.
BOBBY
Welcome to the home of the Gods
of Literature!
MARIANNE TOLEDO
What?
No
longer escorting her, he now drags her toward the bedroom.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Let me go!
81.
He
is too big, she is too weak to put up a fight. Bobby
shoves
her into the bedroom and throws the door shut behind
her.
He
quickly latches the padlock and snaps it shut. She's
locked
in.
Bobby
steps away and takes a deep breath. Beyond the door,
Marianne
starts screaming.
BOBBY
Scream all you want, Marianne
Toledo Literary Agency! It might
suggest to you how your clients
feel!
She
takes him up on it, screaming like crazy.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Morning.
Bobby, sprawled in the sleeping bag, stirs.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY
Marianne
also is inside a sleeping bag. No air mattress. No
pillow.
She
moves and groans in her sleep.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Bobby
listens at the bedroom door. Nothing.
INT.
MOTEL - ALICE'S ROOM - DAY
Alice
brushes her hair, getting ready for the day.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Bobby
with coffee, standing at the bedroom door, listening.
BOBBY
Are you awake?
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY
She
is. She stirs, sits up.
82.
BOBBY (OS)
Good morning, Marianne Toledo
Literary Agency.
Marianne
struggles out of the sleeping bag.
BOBBY (OS)
If you behave yourself, I can
offer coffee.
She
creeps to the door.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Bobby
at the door.
BOBBY
I heard you moving. I know you're
awake.
INTERCUT
TWO SIDES OF DOOR
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Why are you doing this to me?
BOBBY
Do you want coffee?
No
response.
BOBBY
Fine. Go back to bed.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Wait!...Yes, coffee would be
nice.
BOBBY
No screaming....Say, No
screaming.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
No screaming.
BOBBY
I'll be right back.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY
Marianne's
eyes dart around the room, as if looking for a
possible
escape port. Nothing.
She
listens at the door, waiting.
83.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Bobby
at the door again.
BOBBY
I'm going to unlock the door. I'm
going to invite you into the room
for coffee. We're going to talk.
Or rather, I'm going to talk, and
you're going to listen. I expect
good manners from you. No
screaming. No attempt to escape.
If you do any of these days,
you're locked in for the day --
and we'll try again tomorrow. Do
I make myself clear?...I said, Do
I make myself clear?
MARIANNE TOLEDO (OS)
Yes.
He
unlocks the padlock. Undoes the latch. Opens the door.
Marianne
looks a fright. She steps forward.
BOBBY
Sit on the sleeping bag. Your
coffee is on the stove.
She
does what he says. After she's down on the sleeping bag,
he
hands her a cup of coffee.
She
sips, looking at him, frightened but also curious,
waiting.
Bobby
paces in front of her, as if looking for the words
with
which to begin.
BOBBY
I was so excited when I heard
from you the first time. That you
would read my short stories on
the Internet, and take the time
to tell me how much you liked
them -- and be a literary agent
besides! And ask if I had a
novel!
Well, I had several, but I'd
recently finished one. I thought
it was very good. So I sent it to
you.
He
pauses, pacing. Marianne is frozen.
84.
BOBBY
You don't know what it's like to
be a writer in the margins. You
write every day. Now and again
someone publishes something,
usually something small. Mostly
they ignore you. But since the
Internet, at least you can put it
out there, at least you can
invite an audience in, allow for
the possibility of having an
audience. But you're still in the
margins, out of the mainstream.
Nobody knows who you are. Nobody
knows what you do. You write in a
vacuum. Do you have any
conception
of what that is like? To write in
a vacuum?
Marianne's
mouth opens, as if to reply, but no words come
out.
The more he talks, the more frightened she looks.
BOBBY
I've been a marginal writer for
over twenty years.
EXT.
MOTEL - DAY
Alice
comes out to her car.
INT.
MOTEL - TOM'S ROOM - DAY
Tom
notices Alice out the window.
EXT.
MOTEL - DAY
Alice
starts the car.
Tom
rushes out.
TOM
Wait a minute!
He
goes to the window.
TOM
Going to breakfast without me?
ALICE
I have to talk to Bobby.
85.
TOM
Alone?
ALICE
I was thinking alone, yes.
TOM
Breakfast first?
ALICE
Sure. We go in two cars.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Bobby
continues.
BOBBY
I was at the MLA convention.
Modern Language Association. I
ran into my roommate from grad
school. He was so excited! He'd
found an agent who loved his
work.
Moreover, she was going to
represent a 700 page novel
written in rhyming couplets.
Imagine an agent so daring, so
literary, to do such a thing! He
had a letter from her. He shared
it with me.
A
light behinds to go off in Marianne, she looks like she's
beginning
to realize who he is and why he is doing this --
and
this makes her look more frightened still.
BOBBY
I can recite parts of the letter
by heart. "I read your work
in
one sitting. I am speechless. It
is amazing. It is graced with
drama, suspense, intrigue. It
profoundly speaks to the human
condition. I would be very proud
to be the literary agent for such
a spectacular novel. I believe
publication and prizes are in the
future for this wonderful
book."
He
glares at her. Bobby looks really dangerous for the first
time.
86.
BOBBY
Why can I recite this from
memory?
Because I got the exact same
letter as an email. Because The
Marianne Toledo Literary Agency
described my work exactly the
same way as it described his
work.
Which, of course, means the
praise is boilerplate -- and
total bullshit.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I can explain...
BOBBY
I'll tell you when it's your
turn!
He
glares at her. She cowers.
BOBBY
But here's the question -- what's
in all this for The Marianne
Toledo Literary Agency? I found
out soon enough. You were a
beginning agency, all expenses
and no income yet, you were
struggling financially -- and
therefore it seemed fair to ask
for small advances to help you
with marketing expenses, expenses
the client would be charged with
anyway. Instead of deducting them
from sales, because there were no
sales yet, the writer would pay
them in advance. Not much. Just a
few hundred dollars. Not much at
all in the context of all the
fame and fortune to come.
Pacing,
glaring.
BOBBY
The Internet is a marvelous
space.
A new universe actually. I
learned something interesting
things on the Internet. I learned
that Marianne Toledo used to work
for the Creative Writing Literary
Agency, which the state of
Washington charged with fraud.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I can explain--!
87.
BOBBY
Hey! Wait your turn! I learned if
you do a Google search for
Writers Websites, you get almost
three million responses. Three
million! How many writers do you
have to flatter to get, say, a
dozen to send you a few hundred
dollars marketing expenses? Not a
bad income if you do the math.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
That's what you think I'm doing?
BOBBY
I take it you want to talk now.
The Creative Writing Literary
Agency. Tell me about that.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I was young, it was my first job
as an agent. I didn't realize it
was a scam. When I found out, I
left.
BOBBY
You have principles! I'm
impressed.
What about the boilerplate
praise?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Who are you?
BOBBY
Don't you remember? You
practically called me a literary
genius.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I found you on the Internet,
didn't I?
Bobby
just stares at her.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I have a new business. I need
clients. Like you say, writers
are everywhere on the Internet.
You have no idea how much crap I
have to read before I find
something I like. Of course I
want to represent writing I like.
That's what an agent does.
88.
EXT.
RESTAURANT - DAY
Alice
and Tom come out of the restaurant.
TOM
How long will you be?
ALICE
I have no idea. It depends on
Bobby.
She
gets into her car.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Marianne
rambles on nervously.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I'm not a writer, it's not easy
for me to sit down and write an
original letter every time I have
to contact someone. Of course
it's a numbers game. The more
good writers I represent, the
more stuff I send out, the better
the chances of making a sale. My
business depends on making sales.
I help writers by doing this,
don't you see? I'm not hurting
writers, I'm helping writers!
BOBBY
You're not hurting writers! You
play to their greatest weakness,
their egos! Their inferiority
complexes! Their anger at being
marginal! You give them hope! You
bring their dreams to life again!
You're not hurting writers?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
It's my job to do this! What do
you want from me?
BOBBY
Now there's an interesting
question. What do I want from
you?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Are you going to kill me?
Bobby
is genuinely shocked by the question.
89.
BOBBY
That's the best you can come up
with? That's the paucity of your
imagination? I'm going to kill
you? And you set yourself up as
the judge of literary quality?
MARIANNE TOLEDO
Just don't torture me...just get
it over with...
BOBBY
Oh, for Christ's sake.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Alice
pulls up. She gets out.
Instead
of going to the front door, she goes to a front
window.
She looks in...
...and
sees what is going on.
She
bolts back. What to do?
She
hurries back to her car, taking out her cell phone. She
punches
911.
ALICE
I need police immediately...
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
As
before.
BOBBY
I don't know what I'm going to do
with you. It was more fun,
frankly, when I was just
terrorizing you. Imagining what
you were going through, how
frightened you were. Poetic
justice and all that. Nothing
personal, but having you here,
actually talking with you, isn't
nearly as satisfying.
Alice
busts into the house.
ALICE
Bobby! Whatever you're doing to
her, stop it. Stop it right now.
90.
BOBBY
Alice.
Alice
hurries to Marianne.
ALICE
Are you all right?
Marianne
climbs to her feet.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
You know him?
ALICE
He's my husband. What has he done
to you?
Sirens
in the distance.
BOBBY
My, my. You called the police,
didn't you?
ALICE
It was a precaution. I had to.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I need the police...
She
starts for the door. Bobby steps in her path.
BOBBY
One step at a time. I'm still in
charge here.
Marianne
freezes. She looks to Alice for help.
ALICE
We'll just wait and keep calm...
BOBBY
Actually there's a long honorable
tradition of writing from prison.
There are advantages to getting
arrested.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Two
POLICE OFFICERS bring out Bobby, who is handcuffed.
Alice
follows behind.
91.
ALICE
Don't answer any questions! I'll
get a lawyer.
BOBBY
It's okay, Alice. This might turn
out to be good for my career.
The
officers shove him into the back of a patrol car. They
head
out.
Alice
gets on her cell phone.
ALICE
Get over here as fast as you can.
INT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
Alice
is cleaning out the house. All the camp gear, Bobby's
things,
the laptop, are arranged near the door.
Tom
enters.
TOM
What's going on?
ALICE
Help me put all this in your car.
EXT.
SMALL HOUSE - DAY
All
the stuff at the door is loaded into the back seat and
trunk
of Tom's car.
TOM
What am I supposed to do with it?
ALICE
You're going home. I want all of
Bobby's stuff out of here.
Especially his computer. It might
have evidence on it. If they
don't have evidence, they don't
have a case.
TOM
You're removing evidence?
ALICE
No, I have no idea if it's
evidence or not. I just want all
his stuff out of here. Go. Now.
92.
TOM
Now?
ALICE
I have no idea when the police
will be back with their yellow
tape and the forensic experts and
all the rest. Go!
TOM
Why are you going so much out of
your way to help him?
ALICE
Tom, he's my husband.
INT.
POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY
A
police officer, SGT. COBY, is with Bobby. Bobby sits at a
table
in an otherwise bare room.
SGT. COBY
Were you planning to rape her?
Bobby
just sits there. But he looks very uncomfortable.
SGT. COBY
We have kidnapping. I strongly
suspect we have you for vandalism
as well. You don't help yourself
by this lack of cooperation.
BOBBY
I'm waiting for my lawyer.
Coby
lets out an exasperated sigh.
SGT. COBY
Okay.
He
leaves.
Bobby
sits with increasing discomfort.
EXT.
POLICE STATION - DAY
Marianne
comes out of the station with Julie. They get into
Julie's
car.
93.
INT.
ALICE'S CAR - DAY
Alice
is parked nearby, waiting, watching. She starts the
engine.
EXT.
POLICE STATION - DAY
Julie's
car pulls away. Alice's car follows.
EXT.
JULIE'S HOUSE - DAY
Julie's
car pulls into the driveway.
Julie
and Marianne get out.
Alice
car swerves to the curb. She hurries out.
ALICE
Miss Toledo!
Rushing
forward.
ALICE
We need to talk.
MARIANNE TOLEDO
I've said everything I had to say
to the police.
ALICE
It's about my husband. There are
some things you need to
understand.
INT.
POLICE STATION - CELL - DAY
Bobby
in a cell. He looks like this isn't as heroic an
experience
as he anticipated.
An
OFFICER comes to his cell.
BOBBY
Is my lawyer here?
OFFICER
We're letting you out.
Bobby
looks stunned.
OFFICER
All charges were dropped.
94.
INT.
ALICE'S CAR - DAY
Alice
driving, Bobby beside her.
BOBBY
How much did it cost us?
ALICE
You don't want to know.
BOBBY
Alice, I...
ALICE
Not now, Bobby.
BOBBY
When?
ALICE
Not for a long while. Let's just
go home.
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - DAY
Alice
comes out and gets the mail.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - TABLE - DAY
Bobby
having lunch at the small table off the kitchen.
Alice
sits down with the mail.
Her
expression reacts to a letter.
BOBBY
What's that?
ALICE
It's for you. From the Toledo
Agency.
BOBBY
Give it to me.
ALICE
Throw it away, Bobby. It'll just
upset you.
BOBBY
Maybe she's giving me my money
back.
95.
Alice
gives him the letter. He tears it open.
It's
a copy of a letter from a publisher, only the name and
contact
information have been blackened out, except for the
single
identification, "New York."
Bobby
reads the letter. Alice comes around to read over his
shoulder.
BOOK EDITOR (VO)
Dear Marianne: Well, it was quite
a struggle, but I can offer you a
contract to publish Bobby Smart's
novel. As you know, it's hard to
place what used to be called the
literary novel today. There's no
denying Smart's considerable
writing talent but the story is
character-driven, devoid of
strong plot elements, and depends
on our appreciation of his
writing style for our interest --
all contrary to the trends of the
market today. Nonetheless, I
argued long and hard for this --
and won, with one caveat. We are
offering a two-book contract. We
want the second book to be in a
more commercial genre. Indeed, we
want to meet with your client in
order to discuss the direction
his writing career should move in
now. Personally I think he would
be a strong candidate for writing
psychological thrillers because
of the strong inner voices of his
characters. At any rate, a
contract is on its way, two
books, the second in a popular
genre to be determined. My
congratulations to you and Bobby
Smart, and I look forward to
working with you both.
Alice
looks amazed. Bobby looks stunned.
ALICE
Unbelievable...
But
there's also a small folded sheet of paper included with
the
letter. Bobby unfolds it.
96.
MARIANNE TOLEDO (VO)
Here's a copy of your lost
opportunity, asshole! I told the
editor you were dead and your
estate had withdrawn the book.
ALICE
That bitch!
Bobby
gets up and goes into the kitchen.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
Bobby
takes a beer out of the refrigerator.
ALICE
Bobby, don't. Don't use this as
an excuse to tie one on.
BOBBY
I'm not going to tie one on,
Alice. I'm having one beer to
celebrate.
ALICE
Celebrate...?
BOBBY
A narrow escape, hey? They wanted
me to sell out. They wanted me to
write psychological thrillers.
INT.
TAVERN - NIGHT
Bobby
holding court. Cal and Jennifer are there.
BOBBY
They wanted me to abandon
literature for the marketplace,
to kiss the fat ass of the
public.
CAL
What did you tell them?
BOBBY
I told them to go to hell! I told
them I was withdrawing my novel
from their greedy paws! I told
them I believed in the gods of
literature, not the gods of
greed!
Jennifer,
beaming, applauds.
97.
JENNIFER
Your integrity is inspiring.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Bobby
and Alice in bed.
Alice
is awake, rolled toward Bobby, looking at him.
He
stirs. In the darkness, they regard one another.
ALICE
How are you doing?
BOBBY
I'll be okay.
ALICE
Did you really start a new book?
BOBBY
No. But I should.
ALICE
Yes, I think so, too.
BOBBY
It's what I do.
ALICE
It's what you do.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - KITCHEN - DAY
Alice
at the stove.
ALICE
Breakfast!
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - DAY
Bobby
is still in bed.
Alice
enters.
ALICE
Breakfast, sleepy head. Want me
to keep it warm in the oven?
No
reply.
98.
Something
strikes Alice as wrong. She approaches the bed.
ALICE
Bobby?
She
touches him -- and freezes. Then she falls onto the bed,
shaking
her husband.
ALICE
Bobby!
EXT.
CEMETERY - DAY
Bobby's
casket is lowered into the ground. FACULTY, STUDENTS,
OTHERS
watch.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - A WAKE - NIGHT
Wall-to-wall
people, drinking, eating, having a wake for
Bobby.
Alice
climbs onto a chair, held by Tom so she doesn't fall.
TOM
Attention, everyone!...Listen up!
ALICE
Thank you. I just want to share
with you Bobby's epitaph. Well,
there are two, actually. The one
he wrote for himself, and the one
I wrote for him. Here's his:
"Unread in life / Unknown in
death / He's finally taken / His
last breath / Burma Shave / Won't
help him now."
A GUEST
That sounds like Bobby.
ALICE
And mine: "He woke. He
wrote. He
slept. He woke. He wrote. He
slept. He woke. He wrote. He
died."
Reciting
this has moved her. She drops off the chair, trying
to
control her emotions, and moves off quickly.
99.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Alice
sits on the bed, regaining her composure.
Tom
enters.
TOM
Are you all right?
ALICE
I'm leaving.
TOM
I'm not sure what you mean.
ALICE
I'm selling the house, and I'm
leaving.
TOM
Leaving where?
ALICE
I'll stay with my sister in Maine
for a while. After that, I'm not
sure.
TOM
And us ...?
ALICE
There's no us.
TOM
I thought there was.
ALICE
I can't have an "us"
with a man
who thinks infertility is a good
break.
EXT.
COUNTRY HOME - DAY
A
car pulls up.
INT.
COUNTRY HOME - DAY
Alice
answers the door.
An
older man in a suit is on the porch. This is GAYLORD APPLE.
100.
GAYLORD
Mrs. Smart?
ALICE
Yes.
He
offers his hand.
GAYLORD
Gaylord Apple. I'm an editor with
Random House. Vintage Books
actually. I read about your
husband's death. I'm sorry I
missed the funeral. I'm here
because his agent never got back
to us after we made an offer on
his novel, and now her phone is
disconnected. We'd still like to
publish it.
ALICE
You want to publish his novel?
GAYLORD
Very much so.
ALICE
Then we must talk, mustn't we?
FADE
OUT