PIGGS - A Novel with Bonus Screenplay
Page 21
CECIL/GERRARD
The two guests and the stripper quickly find something else to do.
CECIL
Do what?
CUT TO:
THE CELLAR - NIGHT
Ricky is duct-taped, naked except for shorts and boots, sitting in a "doggie" pen. Jack squats beside him.
Jack has lined up Ricky's possessions in the light of a camping flashlight: Clothing, gold watch, rings, cash, .357 Magnum with a gold peso inlaid in the ivory grip.
RICKY
This is a criminal act you are doing, Jack. When you are detaining the person, it is a most illegal matter, for which the penalty is severe. However, I am willing to overlook this as a misunderstanding. I would even consider a generous reward.
JACK
A what?
RICKY
I will deal with you in a financial manner and forget this--
(pause)
--whatever you think it is.
JACK
You through? What you ought to do is thank me, amigo. You'd be a cold burrito if it wasn't for me.
RICKY
And what is that supposed to mean?
JACK
Means there's other people well as me unhappy with your attentions to a lady whose name I won't mention. His initials are Cecil R. Dupree.
RICKY
No, no...you are jesting now.
JACK
Right. Maybe Cat and Grape's a joke with you.
Jack bends down close to Ricky's face.
ANOTHER ANGLE
JACK
Anyway, we aren't talking 'bout them. What you need to worry 'bout is me. I know you are making every effort to diddle Gloria's parts and I won't put up with that.
(BEAT)
RICKY
My interest in Miss Mundi is serious in nature. I resent your use of coarse and ordinary--
Jack slaps him HARD on the side of his head. Ricky flinches.
JACK
I didn't bring you here to talk about greaser ro-mance, all right? Shut up and listen, you might get out of this in one piece. It might be you could be of use to me in a certain enterprise.
RICKY
I am of course willing to listen, Jack.
JACK
I bet.
Jack picks up Ricky's wallet, thumbs through it, puts it down and picks up a beautiful Colt .45 silver-plated, engraved, ivory-handled revolver.
JACK (CONT'D)
Real nice piece.
RICKY
Thank you.
Jack leans back against the fence, playing with the revolver.
JACK
Cecil Dupree's got a box full of money up in his place. I can't say how much but one hundred grand'd be close. He's making a drug buy with that dough only I intend to take it first.
RICKY
Christo...!
JACK
Someone'll be coming here from Baton Rouge to make the deal. Who they are is people from a criminal empire in Louisiana, a lot of whose members have been cited on cable TV.
RICKY
I believe I have seen that show.
JACK
This is where I come in. And you too, if you behave yourself. I'm getting that box 'fore anyone else does. That's my part. Your job is hding it. Like maybe in a overseas offshore truss.
Ricky, solemn as can be.
RICKY
I...imagine I could do that.
JACK
Fine. Then you got a fair chance of remaining among the living.
RICKY
I am pleased to be working with you, Jack.
JACK
Fuck you are. Just don't get any fancy ideas. I've seen every Ricardo Mounty-balm picture twice...
CUT TO:
CECIL'S TABLE
Cecil, Grape and Cat behind him, all bewildered by the presence of Gerrard. Cat stares at Gerrard. Gerrard now sits at ease, nursing a drink.
The crowd is thinning. The strippers dance like zombies onstage.
GERRARD
...took us some time to find your establishment, Mr. Dupree. Though I have to say, now that I have seen it in persona, it is all I expected it to be.
CECIL
We are not New York City, but we like to think we have our own mil-loo--so to speak.
GERRARD
That you do, sir. Ahm-bee-ahnce unbound is what I see. I am of the Hebrew faith myself, but I find the pork motif both original and without great offense.
CECIL
We get all kinds of folks here.
GERRARD
Tolerance is a fine thing to see..
Cecil glances away a moment.
CECIL
I'll go along with that.
GERRARD
What I bring, Mr. Dupree, is a message from Mr. Ambrose Junior, who would like to say he harbor no ill feeling regarding the mishap that occurred in connection with Mr. Hutt Kenny's visit here.
Mr. Ambrose say an accident like that might happen once, but odds are it wouldn't happen again. I expect you'd agree.
CECIL
I sure don't foresee any such event. The odds are good he wouldn't be sending another asshole with funny-looking shoes up here.
FAVOR GERRARD
Gerrard's smile fades for an instant. Then he leans one elbow on the table.
GERRARD
Here is what Mr. Ambrose Junior suggest we do. I have brought the merchandise in the quantity you requested...
CECIL
You got in here, do you? Fine.
No partials, now. We do the whole package, I told him that.
GERRARD
And, as a gesture of good will, he agrees to that, sir.
Cecil tries not to look too surprised.
CECIL
Oh?
GERRARD
Yes, sir. And the new price, that will be one forty five.
CECIL
No way.
GERRARD
Allow me to continue. Mr. Ambrose feels this slight increase could serve as a gesture of good will on your part, Mr. Dupree.
CECIL
I sense the direction you are heading, Mr. Gerrard. With all due respect, fuck Mr. Junior. I might go five for goodwill, if we go back to seventy five next time around.
GERRARD
Mr. Ambrose anticipate your feelings. He will agree to eighty, and looks forward to a pleasant atmosphere in future relations.
The two nod, and everyone relaxes for the moment. Cecil signals for more drinks.
CECIL
My associates. This is Grape here, and that's Cat. I see you've brought some friends along. You didn't need to do that.
GERRARD
Long ride up here by yourself. Someone got to read the map.
Gerrard looks at his watch.
GERRARD (CONT'D)
I have 12:22, Mr. Dupree. I suggest we conclude our business outside. An hour all right with you? I will have my package, you'll have yours.
CECIL
That's kind of late. We'll be closing up soon.
GERRARD
My people often stay up all night, Mr. Dupree.
CECIL
I heard about that.
Gerrard stands. There is a short moment of tension between the two.
GERRARD
Mr. Dupree...
Gerrard turns and leaves, and his crew follows.
AT THE TABLE
GRAPE
He's going to what--sit out in the lot? What's all that about?
CECIL
That is to get on my nerves, is what it's all about.
CAT
That nigger's real tall.
GRAPE
They're all real tall. They're supposed to be tall.
FADE TO:
MAIN ROOM - LATER
The crowd has thinned. Gloria, hopping toward the dressing room, harried, takes off her high heels as she passes Wilda, coming out of the dressing room.
GLORIA
You seen Mr. Chavez around?
Wilda looks disgrun
tled.
WILDA
That asshole in the Wal-Mart tie? Says,"can you change a fiver, hon?"
We don't get economic change in this country, we are in for a major downside, you can quote me on that.
OUTSIDE DRESSING ROOM
Gloria pauses, peers back over the meager crowd, looks disgusted. Maggie, just outside the dressing room, is having a smoke.
MAGGIE
Buenos noches, hon.
GLORIA
El fucko you, dear.
DRESSING ROOM
Gloria goes in the dressing room, slams the door.
OUT BACK
Jack helps Ricky (duct-taped, clumsy) out of the hole that leads from Jack's cellar.
RICKY
This is not right, Jack. We are working together. You do not treat a person who is doing the cooperacion in such a manner.
JACK
Can it, seen-yor. We ain't working together, and we sure aren't friends. Just move it along.
RICKY
How am I supposed to do that?
Jack stops behind the dumpster. Duct-tapes Ricky to the dumpster. Picks up a rag from the ground.
JACK
You're going to feel a little discomfort, all right? I'm going up for that money. All you got to do is keep still till I get back.
You want to start yelling or something, it's maybe Cat coming out, don't blame me for that.
Jack picks up a rag.
RICKY
That revolver has sentimental value to me. I would like to get it back when--
Before Ricky can speak again, Jack stuffs the rag in his mouth. Jack keeps low, edges back toward Piggs, through the nearly empty lot. STOPS, FREEZES.
POV JACK
Gerrard and his crew toward the front of the lot, standing by their Lincoln.
BACK TO SCENE:
Jack nearly cries, shakes his head.
JACK
Shit. Timing is not your thing, man...
MAIN ROOM
The place is mostly empty. A couple of patrons leaving, a stripper heading for the front door. Cecil is at the bar, having a drink, waiting. Grape and Cat look intense.
ON JACK
Jack sees all this, edges along the far wall, climbs the back stairs.
BACK STAIRS, DOOR TO CECIL'S ROOM
Jack works frantically, trying to pick the lock. Breaks off his pick. Nearly loses it right there. Ready to give up. Tries the knob. The door isn't locked. Goes in.
CECIL'S ROOM
Jack finds the place on the floor he spotted through the cracks. The box is inside. He takes it out, tries the lock. Hears a key turn in the door, rolls behind a sofa as Cecil walks in.
CUT TO:
CECIL'S FEET
BACK TO SCENE
Jack reaches for Ricky's revolver. The hammer catches on his belt. He eases the weapon out.
LOW VIEW CECIL
Cecil opens a closet, takes something out. Comes within inches of Jack. Turns, goes back out the door.
ON JACK
Jack comes out from the sofa as Cecil walks back in. Jack freezes in plain sight. Cecil doesn't see him, turns and goes out again.
Jack looks as if he might throw up.
THE MAIN ROOM
The place is empty. Jack edges down the stairs, runs right into Gloria leaving the dressing room.
GLORIA
Jesus!
JACK
What are you doing here?
GLORIA
I kinda work here. Jack--
JACK
You don't want to go out that way. That's not a good way.
MOVING SCENE
Jack leads her quickly toward the side entry.
GLORIA
Quit it. What is the matter with you?
JACK
There's a problem. Something's come up, I don't have time to go into this now.
GLORIA
Well, take time. What's that?
JACK
A box.
GLORIA
Box of what?
Jack ignores her, pulls her along.
GLORIA
Jack---
Jack guides her out the side door.
OUTSIDE
Jack glances at the Lincoln and the men standing about at the end of the lot. Moves Gloria along until they come to the dumpster, and there's Ricky, duct-taped, in his underwear.
WIDEN SCENE
GLORIA
Oh---my--God...!
JACK
Keep it down, all right? It's okay. Him and me are doing something together.
GLORIA
If this is a pervert thing, you can just stop right there.
Ricky is struggling to speak through the rag in his mouth.
JACK
It's just business, Gloria...
GLORIA
That man is restrained. Get that stuff off him, Jack. Right now.
JACK
All right, just keep it kind of quiet, okay?
Gloria yanks the rag out of Ricky's mouth.
GLORIA
You all right?
RICKY
I am being held against my will, Miss Mundi, but I am perfectly fine.
GLORIA
(to Jack)
If this is another of your efforts to thwart my personal life...
Jack begins to whisper.
JACK
It has got nothing to do with that. Like I said it is business!
RICKY
Why are we whispering, Jack?
Gloria throws up her hands.
GLORIA
Damn, what'd I do with those keys?
JACK
Listen, you don't want to be driving right now.
GLORIA
You boys straighten this out, be sure and let me know.
JACK
Gloria!
Too late. Gloria stalks back toward the passageway entry, carrying her shoes.
JACK
(to Ricky)
You just stay right there, I got to get her back.
RICKY
Let me go, I will gladly help.
JACK
You just--
Just as Gloria disappears, lights from the Lincoln flare into brightness, partially spotlighting Ricky and Jack.
JACK
Oh, fuck...
FRONT DOOR OF PIGGS
Cecil, Grape and Cat come out the front entrance.
GERRARD (O.S.)
Ah, Mr. Dupree…
Grape starts to say something.
CECIL
Don't talk, don't be talking to him.
(pause, to Grape)
This side...Cat, over here.
CECIL
(calls out)
Hot out here, Mr. Gerrard...