Born Bad (24 page)

LYZA:
(Thumbing through the pages)
"Ohh, baby, that
hurts–
!"

(Laughs)
How's that for delivery?

BOLO:
(Chuckles)
Okay. You convinced
me.

LYZA: Then I'm hired?

BOLO: Sure. We get a call, then it's rock 'n' roll. You want a cup of coffee or something?

LYZA: A glass of water?

BOLO: You got it.
(Goes to the water cooler,
LYZA
trailing behind him. He pushes the tap, hands her a paper cup.
LYZA
sips it like it was champagne, legs crossed.
BOLO
picks up a grip exerciser, squeezes it rhythmically, a magazine on his lap, watching her. The phone rings.)

BOLO:
(Going over to the desk, picking up the phone.
LYZA
is still perched on the desk, doesn't move.)
AYW Enterprises, how can I help you?
(Pause)
Yes, Kitty is working this evening, sir. May I have your credit card information for verification please?
(Pause)
Thank you, sir–I'll be back on line with you in just a moment.
(Hits some keys on the computer, watches the screen, nods. Picks up another phone.)…
Bertha? It's Bolo. I got this Jacobs character on the main line. Okay to send him over? Right.
(Pushes a button on the phone. A light starts blinking. Picks up the first phone.)
All right, sir, I'm connecting you right now–have a good evening.
(Pushes one of the buttons on the main phone, watches the lights, nods to himself.
BOLO
gets up, makes a notation on the wall chart, rubs his hands together in an "all done" gesture.)

LYZA: That's it?

BOLO: Sure. When it's a regular, all we do is hook them up. The timer runs internally, sucking money off his credit card. When the light stops blinking, it means Bertha's done with him.

LYZA: You don't pay
her
in cash every night, do you?

BOLO: No way–it'd be impossible. See, all the girls, they start out here first. Like a trial period. If it works out, they work right outta their houses. They come in once a week, see the boss, and get their money.

LYZA: Still in cash?

BOLO: No, we give them a check, just like in a regular business. For the tax man, you know? Of course, if they earned, say, five hundred, we'd give them a check for two, pay them the rest under the table.

LYZA: Oh.

BOLO: Hey, come on, everybody does it. We ain't no more illegitimate than your everyday business, right? Your father, the doctor, you think he reports every dime he gets to the authorities?

LYZA: He does! You don't know him.

BOLO: Well that's just fine, Miss Priss–but it ain't the way it works down this end of town. Everybody plays the game. You think these guys who call, they want some sex service on their credit card bill? That's why the boss calls it AYW Enterprises…can't tell what
that
is, right?

LYZA: What
does
it stand for? Anything?

BOLO:
(Smiles)
Yeah, it stands for Anything You Want. That's our specialty here: anything you want…only it's all in their heads.

LYZA: How come…?
(The phone rings.)

BOLO: AYW Enterprises, how can I help you?
(Pause) Yes
sir, we have exactly what you want. Candy's here tonight.
(Pointing at
LYZA,
gesturing that she's to go into the next room)
In fact, she's all alone, just kind of pacing around the bedroom….You know how girls get, right? If you'll just give me some credit card information for verification…(BOLO
types some numbers into the keyboard, watches the screen.)
Well, now that's just fine, sir. If you'll hold a moment, I'll connect you to Candy.
(Gets up, walks briskly into the next room.
LYZA
is sitting by the Princess phone, back straight, breathing through her nose.
) You gonna be all right?

LYZA: Sure. I'm just centering, getting ready for the role.

BOLO: Okay. What this guy wants, it's almost like a date. Soft stuff, least that's what he told me. Use this script….
(Handing her a folder from the milk crate)
It'll kind of give you the guidelines. He wants a big, busty blonde, got it? You ready?

LYZA: Yes!

BOLO:
(Goes back to his desk. Pushes a button.)
All right, sir. I'm connecting you to Candy right now. Have a good evening.
(Pushes a button, hits the timer. The digital timer starts counting.)
[NOTE TO DIRECTOR: THIS CLOCK SHOULD COUNT FASTER THAN "REAL TIME."]
(Calling across to
LYZA) You're on.

LYZA:
(Picking up the phone)
Hello.
(Double-syllable, sultry-voiced)
Who is this?
(Pause)
Oh Sam, I'm so glad you called. I was getting so lonely, here, all by myself.
(Pause)
Oh, okay…well, I don't know where to start. I'm blonde, about five foot seven. I have big blue eyes….
(Pause)
Well, a girl doesn't like to talk about that but, since you asked so nicely, I'm about 38-24-37.
(Pause)
Well, I was just getting dressed when you called. I just have my stockings and garter belt on. I was just trying to stuff myself into this little bra when the phone rang. Just give me minute to get it hooked….
(Miming the gesture of fastening a bra, holding the phone against her neck. Pause.)
Oh! Okay, baby, if that's what you want.
(Gestures like she's letting the bra fall to the ground.)
Uhmmm…that's sweet. Yes, I really like that.
(Arching her back, eyes closed. She's still murmuring into the phone. Blackout.)

BOLO: You're getting pretty good at this, huh? That last guy, I thought he was going to stay on the line till dawn.

LYZA: I told you, didn't I'? I'm just getting into it. Before you know, they'll
all
be asking for me.

BOLO: I believe it, girl. But remember what I told you, the later it gets, the more they come out from under the rocks.

LYZA: I know. I know. It doesn't matter. It's a job, like you said.

An
acting
job. And I'm good at it. Go on, admit it…haven't

I done better than anyone else, my first night?

BOLO: You have, that's a fact. And they all say, the girls, the first one's the hardest. This is what's happening now. You know, all that safe sex stuff…AIDS and all. What some people say, in the nineties, phone sex is going to be how people get off.

LYZA: Poor sorry bastards. They must really be lonely, to spend this kind of money just to have someone talk to them on the phone.

BOLO: I don't think they're so different, really. I read in this magazine once…you get to do a lot of reading on a job like this…I read that therapy is nothing more than the purchase of friendship.

LYZA: What's that supposed to mean?

BOLO: Well, what the writer was saying, it's like, if you had a real good friend, you could tell them your problems, you understand? Tell them your secrets. You got nobody to listen to you, you tell a therapist. And
they
charge by the hour too.

LYZA: But a therapist isn't just supposed to listen–he's supposed to help you, right?

BOLO: I think this stuff
does
help them. I mean, a lot of hookers, that's what they call themselves now. Therapists, right? Surrogate therapy, role playing…all the stuff they advertise for…that's just fancy names for sex. And it helps, sometimes. Sex, I mean. Gives the blues a real kick in the ass if you're down.

LYZA: But they know…I mean, they know I wouldn't be talking to them if they didn't pay.

BOLO: It's fantasy, like I told you. That's part of the fantasy, see? That you're really their girlfriend or whatever. It doesn't hurt anyone.

BOLO: I know this guy. He wants a different girl every time. One of those "let's meet and beat" freaks. He wants a hard-core fem-dom. It's this script
(Handing her a folder)
And you'll probably have to use this too.
(Handing her a leather belt)
You up for it?

LYZA: Sure. Let's play.

BOLO:
(Returns to his once, picks up phone)
All right sir, Mistress Tanya has agreed to speak with you. Hold on just a second, now.

LYZA:
(Picks up the phone)
Who is this?
(Poring over the script, speed-reading, moving her finger along the page. Hard, cold, domineering voice.)
You want a lesson, do you? Well, you came to the right place. This is Mistress Tanya. Now get on your knees and tell me what you did to deserve discipline. (BOLO
makes a gesture of approval.
LYZA
acknowledges it, but brushes him off concentrating on her lines. Pause.)
Is that right? I can't hear you, you miserable little creature, speak up!
(Pause)
That's right…that's right. Tell me the whole thing. Don't you dare leave anything out.

(BOLO,
satisfied she has it under control, and proud of her speed-reading, gives her a high five, walks out of the room. The audience sees
LYZA
whispering into the phone.
BOLO
goes into his office, picks up a magazine, starts to read.
LYZA
keeps talking on the phone. Phone rings.)

BOLO: AYW Enterprises, how can I help you?
(Pause)
Sure. No problem. Absolutely. You don't find any of the girls here drawing those kinds of lines, sir. I mean, people have a right to express themselves, don't they' Sure. All I need is a credit card number and you're in business. Yes sir, okay. Now if you'll just stay on the line while I run that through…

LYZA:
(Slapping the belt hard against the desk)
You want some more of that? Yeah, well you're going to get it anyway. Here!
(More slaps)
Now get back on your knees and lick my boots, you piece of garbage. Do it!

(BOLO
shakes his head good-naturedly. Blackout.)

BOLO: You're here long enough, you'll see it all. Funny, we get more calls from guys who want the fem-dom stuff than the other way.

LYZA: Why is that funny?

BOLO: Not funny ha-ha, just…weird, you know what I mean?

LYZA: It's just sex…different strokes
(She giggles.)
and all that. The hardest thing is not laughing. I mean, it's so silly. Silly and sad. You think they're married, most of these guys'

BOLO: No way to tell. This ain't no survey we're running here, right? I mean, all of them, they got to have some kind of money…or credit, anyway. Otherwise, we don't take the calls. When you think about it, it's crazy. I mean, for what they spend for an hour on the phone, they could buy the real thing.

LYZA: Well, maybe they don't want the real thing. You know how they say nothing's as good as your imaginations Maybe
that's
it.

BOLO: Marcy, one of the girls that was here the longest, she would come in sometimes, work over where you are. She always said she didn't mind any of it…like she was working a suicide hot line or something. Only thing she didn't like was when they were mean.

LYZA: Like that guy who wanted to spank me?

BOLO: No. I can't explain what she meant. Some of them, they're just ugly…like they really want to hurt the girls. Marcy, she used to get them a lot. I don't know why.

LYZA: What does she do, Marcy? In real life, I mean.

BOLO: I don't know. She quit a few weeks ago. Some of them do. Listen, you get one of those calls, like we were talking about, you just give me the high sign and we'll cut it off. It's no problem…he calls back, I'll switch him to one of the others.

LYZA: You're sweet.
(Bending down, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek)
But you don't have to worry about me. I'm a pro.

BOLO:
(Looking at her closely)
Sure.