PIGGS - A Novel with Bonus Screenplay (32 page)

HUTT

Kenny.

TROOPER

What?

HUTT

That stuff you were reading.
 
That's incorrect, that is a mistake.

TROOPER

Which one is that, sir?
 
I got thirty-two here.

HUTT

You got the sheet. You know I was acquitted on every fucking one.

TROOPER

I'd prefer you hold back on the obscenities, sir.
 
You're in Libertyville, Texas, now, you aren't in Lou-easy-anna.

HUTT

Fine.
 
Look, officer, in wholesale foods, you got a lot of competition. That stuff you're reading, it's all made up.

TROOPER

(thinks about that)

Okay, Mr. Hutt...I've got no reason to keep you here, nothing you're wanted for.
 
I will ask you, sir, to drive clear of Libertyville and refrain from falsely assaultin' anyone along the way.

HUTT

Hey, you're just doing your job, I understand that.

TROOPER

Yes, sir...

The trooper leans in the car. Frowns. Something bothers him.

HUTT

What?

TROOPER

Before you go, sir, would you hit the trunk release for me, then step outside the car?

HUTT

What for?

TROOPER

'Cause I asked you to, sir.

HUTT

I thought we were through with this.

TROOPER

Hit the release, sir.

Hutt does as he's told.
 
Steps out.

People are standing around close now.

Hutt walks back with the trooper, who opens the trunk wide.
 
Hutt gags, makes an awful sound as the smell hits him.

CUT TO:

TRUNK

There are two bodies in the trunk--one guy with his zipper open, the other in an aviator jacket, black or maybe brown. The trooper steps back, puts one hand on his sidearm.

Cheerleaders and patrons react.

Hutt shakes his head, stunned, puzzled.

HUTT

Hey, there's some kind of--

CUT TO:

CLOSE ON HUTT

as the trooper slams his head against the car.

HUTT (CONT'D)

--misunderstanding here.

CUT TO:

PIGGS – CELLAR - DAY

Jack is curled up uncomfortably on a high concrete ledge, wrapped in his shabby blanket.
 
His eyes are closed. Very little light through the slats in the floor above.

CECIL (O.S.)

....dozing off, I can't see the clock, it's Junior Ambrose himself, he's getting on the phone. He's real upset, whining like a kid.

GRAPE (O.S)

Uh-huh.

Jack is wide awake now.

CECIL'S ROOM

Cecil opens a beer, gets up, turns on the TV, doesn't like what he sees, turns it off.

CECIL

He's telling me the cops have got Hutt, Hutt is in serious shit.
 
They are finding some persons of the stiff persuasion in the trunk.

Grape laughs. Walks over and gets himself a beer, too.

CECIL

I'm telling the kid, "Excuse me for speaking of a person who is in your employee, but fuck Hutt Kenny.
 
You want to sell your product, send me a person, he's got a little respect.

GRAPE

Hutt, this guy, he don't know about respect.

CECIL

Junior, he got the idea. He's sending someone. I don't know who.

Cecil walks across the room.

THE CELLAR

Dust falls in Jack's eyes.

BACK TO SCENE.

CECIL

Couple things. There's a blue Beamer out in the lot.
 
Have Cat get it out of there. I'm guessing it's the other fucker in Hutt's trunk. He forgot to mention that.

GRAPE

Cat kinda forgets.

CECIL

And Grape...Tex-Mex dude, hanging 'round Gloria all the time. I'd just as soon put a stop to that.

Grape turns to go.

CECIL (O.S.) (CONT'D)

Get Jack. Don't
do
anything. I want to talk to him, don't want him in a trunk.

THE CELLAR

Jack reacts to Cecil's words as we imagine he would. He looks sick.

WAN'S STORAGE ROOM-LATER

Jack is sitting against a wall, wolfing down a bowl of rice. He has a shabby pack by his side. Ortega is squatting on his heels nearby.

ORTEGA

...Rhino is saying, where the fock is Jack? Two in the after noons, where is the Jack? I am saying, how the fock do I know?

JACK

(makes a face)

Christ, this stuff isn't cooked.

ORTEGA

I am cooking this rice Al-denny.
  
You don't know this because you are the washer of dishes and the waiter, you are not the chef.

Jack has his mind somewhere else.

JACK

You ever been to Canada? I'm thinking another state isn't far enough away.

Ortega gets up, goes to the kitchen.

ORTEGA (O.S.)

I would not be going to the place that is cold.
 
I am thinking Whatamala. Whatamala got the beach, got the girls.

JACK

I don't think so. Everyone down there's a Mescan or something. I don't feel I'd get along at all.

Ortega comes back.

ORTEGA

Hey, me either. Bunch of greasers? Who'd want to do that?

ANOTHER VIEW

JACK

I didn't mean any personal offense.

Ortega looks pained.

ORTEGA

You got friends and you don't even know it, Jack. You got people you don't care about, is caring about you. Who do you think is not telling Cecil you are living in the doggie place under the Piggs? Who you think that would maybe be?

ON JACK

Jack looks bewildered.

JACK

What's with this doggie place? What are you talking about?

FAVOR ORTEGA

ORTEGA

I am seeing you coming out the hole, okay?
 
I know there is Gino's Fine Fish Restu-rant-e before the Piggs, and the Sunset Vet before that.
 
I know these things because I am cook for the Gino's.
 
And, before that, I am putting the puppy dog to sleeping at the vet.

ON JACK

JACK

Jesus....

ORTEGA

I would think about the Whatamala, Jack. I would give some thought to that.

CECIL'S TABLE-MORNING-LATER

Jack is slumped in a chair.
 
He looks awful.
 
Cecil, Grape and Cat are present.
 
The bartender and Ortega are in the background, cleaning up, setting chairs about for the evening.

CECIL

What it is, Jack, I feel there is some misunderstanding among the of members of my staff. I don't wish that to happen anymore. I don't think you do either.

Jack looks dazed.
 
Grape slaps him playfully across the face.

GRAPE

The man's talking to you, Jack.

CECIL

Jack's all right. We are making progress here, aren't we, Jack?

JACK

Yes, sir, we surely are.

CECIL

Cat, he thinks he ought to remove the limb that assaulted his private parts, which is a hurtful thing to.

What I said was, Jack did not strike you with harmful intent.
 
Jack has learned a great deal from his stay in a penal institution, and he is not as dumb as that.

Cecil leans forward. Ortega, in the background, scarcely dares look at all this.

CECIL (CONT'D)

So here is how it stands, Jack.
 
You get out of this. We go ahead and we don't look back. That okay with you?

JACK

It is, Mr. Dupree. And I---

Cecil flares up, nearly knocks over the table.

CECIL

Then what the fuck are you doing here, boy? Get the fuck out of my sight.

Jack gets up quickly, starts to leave. Cecil calls out.

CECIL

Jack...

ON CECIL

Cecil holds up Jack's miserable backpack.

CECIL (CONT'D)

Friends don't leave friends without saying goodbye. You're not planning any trips real soon, are you?

Cecil tosses the pack at Jack, who takes off.

DISSOLVE TO:

CECIL'S TABLE -NIGHT

The joint is swinging, packed to the ceiling.

Cecil sits alone at his table. Gloria prances past, from the front door, and Cecil doesn't even look up.

CECIL

You are late, my dear. I do not condone that in my people.

GLORIA