American Psycho Page #14

BATEMAN:

Are you sure?

MRS. WOLFE:

You saw the ad in the Times?

BATEMAN:

No. Yeah. I mean yeah, in the Times.

MRS. WOLFE:

There was no ad in the Times.

Bateman is shaking as they continue to stare at each other.

MRS. WOLFE:

I think you should go now.

BATEMAN:

But I think...I want to know what happened here.

MRS. WOLFE:

Don't make any trouble. Please. I suggest you go.

Bateman backs away slowly.

MRS. WOLFE:

Don't come back.

BATEMAN:

I won't. Don't worry.

Mrs. Wolfe glares at him as he walks down the hall, rattled, and gets into the elevator.

EXT. MIDTOWN PHONE BOOTH - DAY

Bateman searches his pockets for pills. He finds three different pills and swallows them. He's sweating, and takes his jacket off to wipe his face, dialing a number.

JEAN (O.S.):

Patrick Bateman's office.

BATEMAN:

Jean? (panicking and out of breath) I need help!

JEAN (O.S.):

Patrick? Is that you?

BATEMAN:

Jean-I'm not-

JEAN (O.S.):

Craig McDermott called. He wants to meet you and David Van Patten and Tim Bryce at Harry's for drinks.

BATEMAN:

Oh God, what did you say, you dumb b*tch?

JEAN (O.S.):

Patrick? I can't hear you.

BATEMAN:

What am I doing?

JEAN (O.S.):

Where are you? Patrick, what's wrong?

BATEMAN:

I don't think I'm gonna make it, Jean.

Pause.

BATEMAN:

...to the uh, office this afternoon.

JEAN (O.S.):

Why?

BATEMAN:

(Screaming) Just...say...no!

JEAN (O.S.):

What is it, Patrick? Are you alright?

BATEMAN:

Stop sounding so f***ing sad! Jesus!

He hangs up. He throws the Walkman which is around his neck into a nearby trash can, and wipes his face with his jacket.

INT. BATEMAN'S OFFICE- SAME DAY

Jean sits at Bateman's desk. She looks around, and then opens his desk drawer and tentatively begins to search through it. And picks out his diary. Jean is alone in Bateman's office, looking through his diary. We see the pages that she is looking at. They are filled with doodles of mutilated women and their names...Jean looks lost and frightened, and begins to cry.

INT. HARRY'S BAR - EVENING

Bateman comes into the bar, a little cleaned up from the previous scene (he's smoothed his hair), but still panicking and disheveled. He spots his friends in a corner, sits down, still breathing heavily.

Bryce is on his cell-phone, trying to get reservations.

BRYCE:

Table for 3.

McDERMOTT:

Bateman, you're looking a little wild-eyed rough day at the office?

They all laugh.

McDERMOTT:

Hey, look-Bryce is back. And he's drinking mineral water. He's a changed man. Except...he still can't get a reservation to save his life.

Bateman sits down silently.

McDERMOTT:

Why don't you try 150 Wooster?

BATEMAN:

(On automatic) I'm not going anywhere unless we have a reservation.

VAN PATTEN:

Le Cirque, Flamingo East, Oyster Bar, come on, faggots-just get a res.

BRYCE:

Keep your shirt on. Maybe lose the suspenders...Need a reservation for 8:30

Bateman spots HAROLD CARNES at the bar, tenses.

BATEMAN:

(He downs his drink) Excuse me, gentlemen. Right back.

BRYCE:

10 would, would not be any good.

VAN PATTEN:

Just f***ing call them. Give me the phone I'll do it.

He approaches Carnes cautiously.

CARNES:

Face it-the Japanese will own most of this country by the end of the '90s.

Bateman approaches, trying to act casual.

BATEMAN:

Shut up, Carnes, they will not.

Carnes is surprised, turns around, looks vaguely confused.

BATEMAN:

So, uh, Harold, did you get my message?

Carnes lights a cigarette, stalling. Then laughs.

CARNES:

Jesus, yes. That was hilarious. That was you, wasn't it?

BATEMAN:

(Waving smoke out of his face) Yes, naturally.

CARNES:

Bateman killing Allen and the escort girls? That's fabulous. That's rich...

Pause

BATEMAN:

What exactly do you mean?

CARNES:

The message you left.

Carnes is distracted, waving at people.

CARNES:

By the way Davis, how is Cynthia? You're still seeing her, right?

BATEMAN:

Wait, Harold, what do you mean?

Carnes isn't really listening.

CARNES:

Excuse me. Nothing. Good to see you. Is that Edward Towers?

He turns to go.

BATEMAN:

Carnes? Wait.

CARNES:

(Sighing) Davis. I'm not one to bad-mouth anyone, your joke was amusing. But come on, man, you had one fatal flaw: Bateman is such a dork, such a boring, spineless lightweight. Now, if you'd said Bryce, or McDermott...Otherwise, it was amusing. Now if you'll excuse me, I must really get going.

BATEMAN:

(Desperate) Wait,um. Stop. I did it, Carnes. I killed him. I'm Patrick Bateman. I chopped Allen's f***ing head off. The whole message I left on your machine was true.

CARNES:

Excuse me. I really must he going.

BATEMAN:

No! Listen, don't you know who I am? I'm not Davis, I'm Patrick Bateman! We talk on the phone all the time! Don't you recognize me? You're my lawyer.

Carnes stares at him in confusion and annoyance.

BATEMAN:

Now, Carnes, listen. Listen very, very carefully. I killed Paul Allen and I liked it. I can't make myself any clearer

CARNES:

But that's simply not possible. And I don't find this funny anymore.

BATEMAN:

It never was supposed to be! Why isn't it possible?

CARNES:

(Eyeing Bateman worriedly) It's just not.

BATEMAN:

Why not, you stupid bastard?

Carnes stares at him.

CARNES:

Because I had dinner with Paul Allen twice in London...just ten days ago.

BATEMAN:

No, you...didn't?

CARNES:

Now, if you'll excuse me.

INT. BATEMAN'S OFFICE - DAY

We are back to Jean who is looking at all the sketches that he has made of these girls that he had killed. And is crying over them.

INT. HARRY'S BAR - EVENING

Bateman returns back to his friends' table, in a daze. They are all looking at the television, where Ronald Reagan is giving a speech about Iran Contra. They are halfheartedly arguing about whether or not he's lying.

BRYCE:

How can he lie like that? How can he pull that sh*t?

VAN PATTEN:

What sh*t? Now where do we have reservations at? I mean I'm not really hungry, but i'd like to have reservations someplace.

BRYCE:

How can you be so f***ing, I don't know, cool about it?

VAN PATTEN:

Some guys are just born cool, I guess.

Bateman laughs at this. Bryce shoots him a look.

BRYCE:

Bateman, what are you so f***ing zany about?

BATEMAN:

I'm just a happy camper. Rockin' and a-rollin'.

BRYCE:

Oh brother look-he presents himself as a harmless Old codger. But inside...

Pause.

BRYCE:

But inside...

The SOUNDS OF THE BAR FADE AWAY and we hear Bateman's thoughts:

BATEMAN (V.O.):

But inside doesn't matter...

THE SOUNDS OF THE BAR RETURN.

McDERMOTT:

(Bored) Inside? Yes, inside? Believe it or not, Bryce we're actually listening to you.

BRYCE:

C'mon Bateman? What do you think?

Bateman looks up.

BATEMAN:

Whatever.

The conversation breaks up as Van Patten takes out his phone.

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