American Graffiti Page #8

LAURIE:

You were scared. Dave Oboler told me. Then when you did ask me

out you didn't kiss me for three dates.

STEVE:

Well--I was--

LAURIE:

Scared--Jim Kaylor told me. I even asked my father why you hadn't

kissed me.

STEVE:

Your father--great!

LAURIE:

He said he thought you were bright and you'd probably think of

kissing me after a while.

He moans.

You didn't, of course. I had to. Remember that picnic?

STEVE:

Out at the canyon?

LAURIE:

Oh boy! You can't remember anything--the first one, up at the

lake. That was the first time you kissed me--I practically had to

throw myself at you.

STEVE (quietly)

I remember.

They continue to dance slowly. Laurie starts to cry, hating

herself for it. Steve loosens a minute and looks at her.

STEVE:

What's wrong?

LAURIE:

Go to hell.

He holds her tighter and they circle the floor, all alone, the

crowd watching quietly, the gym echoing with "Smoke Gets in Your

Eyes."

THE GYM PARKING LOT

Curt is leaning against a car in the parking lot. He's looking up

at the stars and listening to the music floating out from the

gym.

WENDY:

What are you doin', stealing hub caps?

A pretty, dark-haired girl, Wendy, slides up next to him and

leans against the car. There's an awkward pause like that which

happens often when two people who used to be close meet after

things have changed. CURT

Well--hey, Wendy.

WENDY:

How've you been?

CURT:

Fine. Great. How've you been?

A horn honks and Wendy turns to a VW that's idling nearby.

WENDY:

I'm coming--wait a sec. (turning back to Curt) She's got her car.

Hey, I thought you were going away to school.

CURT:

Ah, maybe...maybe.

WENDY:

Same old Curt. All the time we were going together you never knew

what you were doing...well, anyway, I gotta go.

CURT:

Hey, Wendy--where are you going?

WENDY:

Nowhere.

CURT (smiling at her)

Well, you mind if I come along?

WENDY (affectionately):Okay.

CURT:

Okay.

They go off toward the VW and climb in.

BACK INSIDE THE GYM

The hop is almost over and the lights have been lowered,

conservatively. Steve and Laurie hold each other, hardly moving

and he kisses her. Still kissing, they continue to circle slowly-

-until a short, totally bald teacher comes and pokes Steve in the

side. MR. KOOT

All right, Bolander, break it up. You know the rules. You and

your panting girlfriend want to do that you'll have to go

someplace else.

He gives them a disgusted look and starts off. STEVE

Hey, Kroot!

The teacher turns, surprised by the ommision of "Mr."

Why don't you go kiss a duck.

Kroot's beady eyes widen and he comes back.

KROOT:

What? What did you say?

STEVE:

I said go kiss a duck, marblehead.

Kroot is stunned and people have stopped dancing to watch

MR. KROOT

Bolander--you're suspended. You're--don't even come Monday. You

are out!

STEVE (smiling broadly)

I graduated last semester.

Suddenly everything has changed. Mr. Kroot is furious, but unable

to do anything. He finally storms off in a huff. Steve, Laurie

and the people watching all laugh.

(to Laurie) Get your shoes. Let's go before we get thrown out.

THE GYM PARKING LOT

Steve and Laurie walk toward her Edsel. In the background Wolfman

Jack is taking a phone call from someone.

MAN (voice over)

Hello, Wolfman.

WOLFMAN (voice over)

Who's this?

MAN:

THis is Weird Willard.

WOLFMAN:

Hold on a minute, let me get my pants off...you understand?

Steve opens the door to the car and then turns Laure and kisses

her.

STEVE:

Why don't we go th the canal?

LAURIE (teasing)

What for?

STEVE:

Listine, I can get tough with you too, you know.

LAURIE:

Yeah, hard tough.

She kisses him and they get into the car. As they pull out, the

Wolfman continues his conversation on the radio.

WOLFMAN (voice over)

I got 'em down around my knees, man. Wear these tight pants. I

can't get 'em...All right, I'm gonna do my little dance now, man.

And the Wolfman goes into an insane rain-dance rhythm as we hear

"Little Darlin'"

CRUISING MAIN STREET--STEVE'S '58 CHEVY

Terry not only looks cool now, but is cool, singing with the

radio, a girl beside him. Hot stuff.

Terry ever so slowly tries to put his arm around her, but by the

time he manages it, he has to shift.

They drive by some kids having a car-to-car water pistol war.

TERRY:

I go to Dewey too, ya know.

DEBBIE:

I never seen ya.

TERRY:

I bug out a lot. When I graduate, I'm going to join the Marines.

DEBBIE:

They got the best uniforms. But what if there's a war?

TERRY:

With the bomb, who's going to start it? We'd all blow up

together. Anyway, I'd rather be at the front. I'm like that--

rather be where the action is, you know. Once I got in a fight

with--

DEBBIE:

I love Eddie Burns.

Terry stops, trying to figure out where their conversation went.

TERRY:

Eddie Burns--oh, yeah, Eddie Burns. I met him once, too.

DEBBIE:

You really think I look like Connie Stevens? I like her--Tuesday

Weld is too much of a beatnik, don't you think?

TERRY:

Yeah, beatniks are losers.

DEBBIE:

Who do you like? I mean, singers and stuff.

Terry slowly maneuvers his arm around her.

TERRY:

Ah hell--I like most of the people you like.

DEBBIE (putting her head on his shoulder)

That's nice--we got a lot in common.

Both of them start singing with the radio. Suddenly she puts her

hand on his leg.

DEBBIE:

You know what I'd like more than anything in the world right now?

Terry almost does a comic strip "Gulp!"

I'd love a double Chubby Chuck. Isn't that what you'd like more

than anything right now?

TERRY (quietly)

Sure...

MEL'S DRIVE-IN

The endless chrome-flashing parade continues. Among the lines of

fine cars, Terry is parked in the '58 Chevy next to an order

speaker on a metal pole. Terry leans out the car window and

orders into the intercom. TERRY

A double Chubby Chuck, a Mexicali Chili Barb, two orders of

French fries--

DEBBIE:

And Cherry cokes.

The intercom clicks on and a garbled voice ssquaks back at him.

INTERCOM:

Ark, wark, dork.

TERRY (pushing the button):Now wait a minute. What? Huh?

INTERCOM:

Ark, wark, dork.

TERRY:

Yeah, right. Cool.

As they wait for their order, several guys in various passing

cars yell sleezy greetings to Debbie. Suddenly, a rough-looking

face, belonging to Vic Lozier, pops in her window.

VIC:

Hey, Deb. How's my soft baby?

DEBBIE:

Beat it, Vic. I'm not your baby.

Terry nervously pretends not to hear.

VIC:

Oh, come on, honey. So I never called you back. I've been, you

know, busy...

DEBBIE:

Three weeks...besides, it only took one night for me to realize

that if brains were dynamite, you couldn't blow your nose.

VIC:

Look who's talking. Who's the wimp you're hanging out with now?

Einstein?

DEBBIE:

Tiger happens to be very intelligent. Unlike you. I know every

thing your dirty little mind is thinking...(She looks out the

window, down at Vic's pants)...it shows...

TERRY:

Hey, now--(his voice cracks) I mean, hey now, buddy, the lady

obviously doesn't--

VIC:

Look, creep, you want a knuckle sandwich?

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote