American Psycho Page #17

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. DEPARTMENT STORE - DAY

Bateman enters the revolving

door of an office building, panicking and breathing

heavily. He is sweating, his hair is wild, and he looks

deranged. He goes around the revolving door twice and comes

out onto the street again, where he bumps smack into a GUY

just like him.

GUY:

Hey, Kinsley.

Bateman looks up at him wild-eyed.

GUY:

See you at Fluties, okay?

The guy walks away, utterly unfazed. Bateman wanders down

the street, banging his briefcase against walls, garbage

cans, etc.

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? Hello? Jean?

JEAN (O.S.)

Patrick? Is that you?

BATEMAN:

Hello? Jean, I need help!

JEAN (O.S.)

Where are you?

BATEMAN:

Jean-I'm not-

JEAN (O.S.)

Craig McDermott called. He wants to meet you and

David Van Patten and Tim Price 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 are 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 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.

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.

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

McDERMOTT

Bateman, you're looking a little wild-eyed rough

day at the office?

They all laugh.

McDERMOTT

Hey, look-Price is back. And he's drinking

Perrier. 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 I 50 Wooster? Just f***ing call them.

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.

PRICE:

Keep your shirt on. Maybe lose the suspenders.

Bateman spots HAROLD CARNES at the bar, tenses.

BATEMAN:

(He downs his drink)

Excuse me, gentlemen. Right back.

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, Harold, did you get my message?

Carnes lights a cigarette, stalling. Then laughs.

CARNES:

Jesus, Davis. Yes. That was hilarious. That was you,

wasn't it?

BATEMAN:

(Waving smoke out of his face)

Yes, naturally.

CARNES:

Bateman killing Owen and the escort girls? Oh that s

fabulous. That's rich...

Pause

CARNES:

It was a pretty long message, wasn't it?

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:

But 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's such a dork,

such a boring, spineless lightweight, that I couldn't fully

appreciate it. I wasn't fooled for a second. Now, if you'd said

Price, or McDermott...Otherwise, it was amusing. Now, let's

have lunch or dinner or something. Hilarious, Davis. A killer.

BATEMAN:

What are you talking about? Bateman is what?

CARNES:

Oh Christ. He can barely pick up an escort girl, let

alone...what was it you said he did to her?

Carnes looks around the club, raises his glass to a passing

couple. He laughs politely.

CARNES:

Now, if you'll excuse me, I really must...

BATEMAN:

(Desperate, shouting)

Wait. Stop. You don't seem to understand. You're not really

comprehending any of this. I killed him. I did it, Carnes.

I'm Patrick Bateman. I chopped Owen's f***ing head off.

I tortured dozens of girls. 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! I talk to you 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 to me. Listen very, very carefully. I killed

Paul Owen 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 he! 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 Owen twice in

London...just ten days ago.

BATEMAN:

No, you...didn't?

CARNES:

Now, if you'll excuse me.

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.

PRICE:

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 would like to have

reservations somewhere.

PRICE:

(To Bateman)

I don't believe it. He looks so...normal. He seems so...

out of it. So...undangerous.

McDERMOTT

He is totally harmless you geek. Was totally harmless.

Just like you are totally harmless. But he did do all that

sh*t and you have failed lo get us into I 50, so, you know,

what can I say?

PRICE:

I just don't see how someone, anyone, can appear that

way and yet be involved in such total sh*t. 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. Price shoots him a look.

PRICE:

And Bateman, what are YOU SO f***ing zany about?

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