THE PARKING LOT
Gerrard, leaning against the Lincoln.
GERRARD
Indeed it is, Mr. Dupree...
NEAR THE DUMPSTER
Ricky, alarmed, watches Jack disappear, then he starts hopping away.
DRESSING ROOM
GLORIA, going through all her stuff, muttering.
GLORIA
(to herself)
Perverts is my guess. I do not know why I am surprised. Every man there is has got a kink of some kind...
She turns over everything on her dresser. Gets down, reaches under it.
GLORIA (CONT'D)
I would rather see a man naked any day than in his shorts. Why they cannot keep themselves clean...
PARKING LOT
The Lincoln, with Gerrard, Leo, Willie Bee and Frank on one side---Cecil, Grape, Cat on the other.
FAVOR CECIL
He leans against his own Caddie, sets an attache case by the front tire.
CECIL
We could do without all the bright lights.
GERRARD
Leo...
Leo reaches in and turns off the lights.
GERRARD
What we going to do, Mr. Dupree, is like they do it on the TV. I'm the black dude in the shades, you the white guy without. I put my stuff on the hood, you put yours there too. You with me so far?
CECIL
Just do it. I don't need to hear any rappity-rap, I don't need a lot of soul.
FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
Ricky tries to hop along behind the cars as best he can.
GERRARD (O.S.)
You are a difficult man to get along with, sir.
CECIL (O.S.)
Yeah, right.
GERRARD (O.S.)
As you say, it is indeed hot up here. Don't see how you folks put up with it, Mr. Dupree.
CECIL'S END OF THE PARKING LOT
Cecil looks pained.
ON GRAPE
Grape is sweating, glancing about, taking it all in.
BACK TO SCENE
CECIL
Sorta cool down in Ba-ton Rouge, is it?
GERRARD
Is not, sir. But we don't get out in it. Stay in the AC. Honky tourist folks, they out in the heat, seeing the local sights.
(pause)
GERRARD(CONT'D
...Willie Bee, would you kindly retrieve the merchandise from the trunk?
Willie opens the trunk, reaches in--
CUT TO:
DRESSING ROOM
Gloria, still on the floor, reaches under a chair, pulls out an old pair of British-flag panties, as her keys fall out.
GLORIA
(disgust)
God...
FAR END OF PARKING LOT
Jack approaches the dumpster, glances down the lot, makes a run for the passageway with his box.
SOUND: Voices from Cecil and friends.
PARKING LOT
Willie hands an attache case to Gerrard, who sets it on the hood.
ON CECIL
Cecil doesn't blink.
ON CAT
Cat has no expression at all.
ON GRAPE
Grape is begining to SWEAT.
CECIL/GERRARD
CECIL
Okay. Let us have a look. Might be I am buying today.
GERRARD
Let's look at yours, Mr. Dupree.
CECIL
Sure.
Cecil takes a step back, turns to pick up his own attaché case by the Caddie's tire.
ON GERRARD
His tense expression tells us he KNOWS something's wrong with this
and with that THE ACTION BEGINS: FAST!
Cecil lifts the attache case, like it's going on the hood. As he lifts it, our view shows us a .38 is taped to the back. Cecil rips it off, points it at Gerrard.
ON CAT
Cat has a sawed-off shotgun hanging down his back. He brings it out fast.
ON GRAPE
GRAPE HAS BEEN THINKING--he makes his decision.
CECIL/GERRARD QUICK SHOTS
Cecil fires three times at Gerrard, but Gerrard is no longer there. He moves in a blur, comes at Cecil low.
One of Cecil's slugs shatters the windshield of the Lincoln. Two more tear into Gerrard's attache case on the hood. The attache case ERUPTS in a BURSTING white cloud of coke.
QUICK CUTS TO:
Gloria, in the dressing room, hears the shots, eyes go wide.
Jack, by the dumpster, freezes.
Ricky hops desperately through the parked cars.
BACK TO ACTION
Cat takes out Leo on the right, hits him in the leg. Willie and Frank loose a dozen rounds.
PIGGS SIGN
One shot takes out the "P" in Piggs.
ACTION
In the midst of this, Grape whips out his pistol and SHOOTS Cat in the head BEFORE Cat can turn his shotgun on Gerrard. Cat falls like a tree.
FAVOR CECIL
Cecil is stunned. He can't see a thing through the coke. Gerrard, covered in dope from head to toe, goes low and tackles Cecil to the ground. Here's where calm and collected Gerrard looses his cool. He beats Cecil without mercy, again and again. Kicks him until he's out of breath.
WIDEN VIEW
Everyone watching is stunned by this brutal action.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Gerrard calms down.
GERRARD
All right, hold it, somebody going to get hurt around here.
SERIES OF ANGLES
The guns go silent. Leo is in pain on the ground. Cat is out of it, shot in the head.
BACK TO GERRARD
Gerrard picks up Cecil's attaché case, turns it upside down. Nothing.
GERRARD
Sheeeit. This trip been fucked from the start.
Gerrard drops the attaché case, looks at Grape.
GERRARD (CONT'D)
You got something to say to me, Mr. Grape?
GRAPE/GERRARD
GRAPE
I was---thinking about a career move, Mr. Gerrard. It'd be a step up for me. I'm a good worker.
GERRARD
And loyal, too. Bet you can get a letter from Mr. Dupree.
GRAPE
Hey, Cat would've cut you down, man.
GERRARD
Don't know that, man. Don't know any such thing. Know my dope is blowing in the wind. Know I don't have any money to show...know Mr. Ambrose Junior going to ask me what kind of shit going on up here.
Gerrard glances back, sees Frank is bending over the wounded Leo.
GERRARD
He all right?
FRANK
Didn't get no private parts...
Cecil, on the ground, looks awful. So does Cat. Grape hasn't moved.
FAVOR GERRARD
GERRARD
Willie, keep an eye on Mr. Dupree. Don't do him any harm. Going to take him to see Mr. Junior personal...Seeing as how Hamilton Taylor Gerrard does not intend to take the flack for this fuckup himself. Mr. Grape, you come with me.
We see if you can re-call where that money might be.
GRAPE
Mr. Gerrard, honest, if I knew I swear I'd--
Headlights swing into the lot. Gerrard and Grape scatter.
EXT. RHINO'S CAR
RHINO'S CAR screeches to a stop. Willie sticks a gun in the car's window. Rhino steps out, bewildered, hands in the air.
Gerrard suddenly grins.
GERRARD
Rhino? Son of a bitch, what you doing here?
Rhino quickly takes in the scene. It doesn't take him long to figure things out. He shakes hands with Gerrard.
RHINO
Been a while. Kansas City. You still up there?
GERRARD
Baton Rouge. Still cooking bad honky food?
RHINO
Into management now. Chink place back there. We, uh, got one of them corp-rut takeovers here?
GERRARD
We'll talk a minute, before I go back. Damn, Willi
e, where'd that Mr. Grape go? Find that little fuck, get him back here.
Frank, in the background, is helping Leo to the car.
RHINO and GERRARD
RHINO
Louisiana's all right. Hotter'n hell. I guess your people are used to that.
GERRARD
Oh, yeah. We real used to it now. See you still a fucking redneck, Rhino.
RHINO
See you still a---
Once more, tires squeal and headlights sweep the scene, this time from back in the lot.
WIDEN VIEW
Everyone scrambles as Gloria's Nash Rambler roars erratically out of the lot. Jack, caught in the headlights, leaps free just in time. Gloria screeches into the street.
INT. GLORIA'S CAR
Gloria, terrified, at the wheel.
PARKING LOT
People pick themselves up.
GERRARD
Who the fuck is that? I'll tell you what, this trip has been a constant irritation. Business world isn't at all like it used to be...
WOODED AREA PAST PARKING LOT
Jack, making his way through the tangle of scrub oak past the parking lot, ducks suddenly, as a car roars by on the road.
EXT. GLORIA'S CAR
It whips by, Gloria glued to the wheel.
WOODED AREA
Jack is carrying Ricky's big revolver in one hand, Cecil's strongbox under his arm.
JACK
(mumbling, shaking his head at the car)
If you'd just said, "Pie would be fine, Jack," we coulda been past Waco now, on our way to a better way of life. But no....
Jack stumbles, nearly falls. A twig snaps. Jack jumps back. Ricky, in underwear and boots, duct tape hanging off, swings at Jack with a broken branch, misses.
JACK
Hold it, taco!
Jack raises the revolver.
RICKY
Dios, Jack, what are you doing here?
JACK
I was going to ask you. Put that thing down, Mr. Chavez. I'm armed, as you can tell.
RICKY
You are armed with my revolver, which is one of a kind. Shoot me or carefully put it away.
(beat)
You saw the car, yes? I assume Miss Mundi is safe, but I would like to get to her at once.
JACK
Yeah, well our deal is you are not getting to her. I'm ready to offer a temporary truce, Mr. Chavez, while we conclude our business deal.
RICKY
Now?
JACK
What's wrong with now?
Ricky looks over his shoulder.
RICKY
I am not dressed for the conducting of business, Jack. And there is the matter of criminal elements nearby.
JACK
I'm guessing they're pretty busy. They won't be bothering us now.
RICKY
That is not entirely true...
JACK
What isn't?
Ricky steps aside.
ON GRAPE
Grape is sprawled on the ground, eyes rolled up, an enormous bump on his forehead.
BACK TO SCENE
JACK
Damn...
RICKY
He came upon me. You had stolen my weapon, I had to find means to defend myself.
JACK
You hit him with that?
RICKY
He--made rude remarks. He said he had never seen a---person of my racial persuasion in his shorts.
JACK
Don't imagine he had.
RICKY
I reacted quite strongly. This has been a difficult day.
Jack bends down to look at Grape.
JACK
I feel partly responsible for that.
RICKY
I am pleased that you do. You have the box. You have the illegal monies there?
JACK
I figured you'd notice.
RICKY
And how much is inside?
JACK
I don't know. We got to get a rock or something to bust the lock.
RICKY
(amused)
No-no-no.
Ricky takes the box, puts it on the ground.
JACK
Hey!
ANOTHER ANGLE
Ricky squats down, strikes the top once with his fist, taps it once on the side. The lid flies open.
JACK
How'd you do that?
RICKY
I am a banker, Jack.
Jack grabs up a handful of bills.
JACK
Jesus, Must be a couple hundred grand in here!
Ricky takes the money, quickly fans the stack.
RICKY
Three hundred twenty-two dollar.
JACK
What?
Jack pokes under the stack.
JACK
What is this shit?
Ricky takes a stack of baseball cards from the box, reaches in and gets another.
CLOSE ON CARDS
Ricky shuffles through them. He's got fifty, sixty cards.
RICKY/JACK
RICKY
Cards of the baseball game. Jackie the Robinson, l949...Roberto Clemente...Lou Gehrig, 1934. Joe Dimag-- They appear to be autographed as well. You like the baseball, Jack?
JACK
No. That's it? Cecil is into fucking baseball? Got any boxers in there? Got Sugar Ray?
RICKY
No, only the baseball. I have a nephew, he likes the baseball. You don't want these...I would give them to him.
JACK
Uh-huh.
FAVOR RICKY
RICKY
They are your cards, however. I would give you---two hundred dollar, the whole bunch. You keep the cash, of course.
JACK
Fuck you will.
RICKY
I know you are greatly disappointed in this enterprise. Three hundred, I could do that.
JACK
Five.
RICKY
Four.
JACK
Cash. No checks. Then we go to your bank.
Jack pockets the $322. Ricky closes the box. They stand.
RICKY
Of course. First I find some clothes.
JACK
You thought I didn't know that, didn't you?
RICKY
Know what?
JACK
That people save those cards. That the old ones is worth big bucks.
RICKY
You are a hard man to deal with, Jack.
JACK
Look out for Number One, no one else is going to.
RICKY
Si. This is very, very true...
DISSOLVE TO:
PIGGS PARKING LOT - MORNING
PIGGS - A Novel with Bonus Screenplay Page 22
