Ext. FAUBOURG Marigny neighborhood - dAY - Present
The sun starts it's descent while a positive spring breeze coats
the streets.
Chris, recently clean shaven, enters the bar. He wears a clean shirt, pants which is
unusual for him. He is a
semi-successful writer who used to write columns for the local newspaper, but
now writes a semi-regular pieces for the local free paper. He walks from his apartment down the
shotgun house lined streets towards his regular drinking establishment.
Jeff
(O.S.)
That's just stupid.
Andy
(O.S.)
I don't get it, you drive by the Home Depots the Lowe's, you
round up all the Mexicans...
JEFf
(O.S.)
And it's racist.
AnDY
(O.S.)
There you go. You got no substantive comeback, so you resort to
name calling.
JEFF
(O.S.)
It's every day with you.
Every day.
AnDY
(O.S.)
Whatever.
Int. Lost LOve Lounge - Day
Bartender, JEFF, an aging hipster type, wearing an old concert
shirt and jeans a size too tight.
JEFF
Why do you even come in here? There's, like six bars on this block.
Andy takes a sip of his beer.
AnDY
(to himself)
This place is on my side of the street.
Chris pops on his usual seat at the end of the bar.
Jeff turns his head and looks towards Chris. He pops open a Miller High-Life and sets
it down in front of Chris.
JEFF
(relieved)
Where the hell have you been? I thought you were dead.
Chris takes a big swig of beer, while trying to decide how to
tell Jeff about the past day.
Chris
I met a girl.
Andy laughs.
ChRIS (CONT'D)
No, really.
Ext. New Orleans city street - day - one day
earlier
Chris stops at a street corner, waiting for the traffic light to
change. He waits.
No traffic is coming.
He still waits.
The light turns from red to green. Chris starts to walk across the street,
but a stray stands at the opposite corner staring at him.
Chris looks around to see if any possible owner of the dog might
be around. He thinks about crossing
for a second.
Girl
(O.S.)
What the fuck is wrong with you. You fire me!
Chris looks over to see a young GIRL, tank-topped, tattooed,
attractive looks angrily yelling in the doorway of a local watering hole.
GIRL (CONT'D)
He tipped me thirty-four cents in pennies and dimes!
She takes a few steps from the door, turns around and flashes the
finger towards the bar.
GIRL (CONT'D)
Asshole!
She looks towards Chris and catches him staring at her.
GIRL (CONT'D)
What're you lookin' at?
Chris tries to think of something clever as he walks towards her.
CHRIS
Uh..
SOUND: Screech of
tires followed by a deep thud of flesh hitting car bumper.
GiRL
No!
The Girl sees the dog, dead.
She is overcome by grief.
She cries, quietly, her posture slumps.
Chris hesitates for a moment, then he puts his arms around her
and holds her tightly.
Int. LOST LOVE LOUNGE - day - A few minutes later
Jeff leans on the bar in front of Chris.
Jeff SIGHS.
ChrIS
What's the matter?
JEFF
I've been working days and nights for so long...It's killing me.
CHRIS
What happened to that girl?
JEFF
Which girl.
CHRIS
The girl. The one
with the tatoo on her, uh...
JeFF
(interrupts)
Her face?
CHRIS
No, not Kayla, the girl after her.
JEFF
Jenn?
CHRIS
No, no. Not that nut.
The other one.
Jeff shakes his head in exasperation.
Jeff pours Chris a shot of whiskey.
AndY
It's a bad idea, what you're thinking of.
Jeff and Chris both look at Andy and then look at each other in
acknowledgement.
JEFF
(to Andy, angrily)
Why are you here?
(to Chris)
It'll be fine.
Andy shakes his head.
Int. ChrIS' APARTMENT - night
Chris, wearing an old apron, stands in his kitchen stirring a hot
pot of curry.
The Girl enters the apartment and puts her arms around Chris,
constricting his movements.
ChRIS
Hungry?
GirL
It smells delicious.
Chris turns around, the Girl's arms still around him.
ChrIS
How'd it go?
GIRL
I'm gonna start tonight.
She smiles and kisses him.
The pot starts to bubble over.
CHRIS
Oh shit.
Chris breaks away from the embrace and turns around, turning down
the flame.
Int. ChriS' APARTMENT - day
Shots of them in his apartment, she's spending lots of time
there. Mundane moments.
Int. LOST LOVE LOUNGE - day - a few days later
Next day: some more
friends of Chris are engaged in some friendly banter with the girl. She's becoming popular with the regulars. He walks into the bar.
SOUND: Music plays, but the laughter, voices are not heard.
Chris Stands beside them.
The patrons and the girl ignore him as if he isn't there. He leaves to go home, no one notices.
Int. Chris' apartment - nIGHT
Chris lies passed out on his couch.
Ext. City street - day - flashback
The dog lies dead in the street as everything else speeds around
him.
Int. LOST LOVE LOUNGE - day - one day later
Chris walks into the bar. He pokes his head in and sees the girl
laughing and carrying on with a CUSTOMER and Andy
ANDY
(to the customer)
You should have seen it.
She takes the thirty-four cents and throws it at him as he's walking out
the door...
He points right at Chris, acting as if Chris is not even
there. Chris looks puzzled.
AnDY (CONT'D)
...from the bar!
Chris starts to say something, but stops.
Andy, the customer, and the girl laughs.
AnDY (CONT'D)
Hits him right in the head.
Andy mocks the impact of the coins
More laughter.
ChrIS
Hey.
They ignore him.
ChrIS (CONT'D)
(screams)
Hey!
Silence.
Chris looks towards Andy.
ChRIS (CONT'D)
I just wanna speak to my girlfriend for a second.
The girl quickly moves out from behind the bar and grabs Chris'
arm pulling him towards the exit.
GIRL
Outside!
CHRIS
Hey! Ow!
EXT. lOST LOVE LOUNGE - DAY
GIRL
Who said I was your girlfriend?
CHRIS
I thought, I assumed, the other day...
GiRL
Just leave if you're gonna mess with my money.
Chris nods assuredly.
CHRIS
Leave? All
right. I see how it is.
The girl goes back inside.
Jeff walks up the sidewalk and stops to talk to Chris.
JEFF
What's up? You coming
in?
Chris shakes his head.
JEFF (CONT'D)
See ya tomorrow!
Jeff ducks inside.
Chris shakes his head.
Ext. City street - day - flashback
The dog lies dead in the street as everything else speeds around
him.
ExT. LOST LOVE LOUNGE - DAY
Out of habit Chris walks towards the Lost Love Lounge. The door is open and he stops and sees
the girl carrying on with some PATRONS.
He eyes the bar down the street and heads towards it, disappearing
inside.
The end.
No comments:
Post a Comment