Blade Runner Page #13

DECKARD:

In two seconds I'm gonna break

your f***in' spine if you don't

tell me what I wanna know.

Pause.

EGYPTIAN:

I see.

Deckard's face is two inches away. It's all very

plain.

EGYPTIAN:

In that case, I think I will be obliged

to tell you that one of two men could

have done this.

DECKARD:

Who ?

EGYPTIAN:

Me.

The Egyptian works on an uncertain sh*t-eating grin

hoping to charm his way out of a hole.

Deckard lets him sweat for a beat or two, looking hard.

DECKARD:

Who do you sell your junk to .

EGYPTIAN:

Artists. Always to artists.

The Eygptian looks nervously at Deckard,sees he

means business and hastily begins to shuffle through a

wad of receipts from a cigar box.

CUT TO:

INT. TAFFEY'S SNAKE PIT BAR - NIGHT

A big guy, back to camera is sitting at the bar in

this sleazy joint.

DECKARD (OS)

You buy a snake off an Egyptian ?

The big guy turns to face his questioner. His name

is TAFFEY LEWIS big and bad and low-life. He looks

like he's looking at a cockroach.

TAFFEY:

Buzz off, fella.

Deckard is searching in his pockets. He pulls a dirty

handkerchief out, puts it on the bar, pulls out a

crumpled pack of cigs from another pocket, a wad of

money cards from another. He's putting all sorts of

things on the bar. Among them is the picture of

Rachael and her parents.

DECKARD:

You ever see..... you ever se... ?

At last he finds the photo of the reclining woman, shows

it to Taffey.

DECKARD:

You ever see this woman ?

Taffey doesn't even look at the picture.

TAFFEY:

Never saw her. Buzz off,pal.

Deckard flashes his police card.

DECKARD:

Got your licenses in order, old

buddy ?

TAFFEY:

Pal, I got a license to piss,

I got a license to kiss,

An' I got a license to pee at

four in the morning.

I got licenses for things I do with

my wife an' I got licenses for things

I don't do with my wife.

I got licenses for bad dreams, pal.

I got licenses you wouldn't believe.

Now buzz the f*** off, okay ?

Deckard seems blown away, puts his hands up, palms forward,

surrendering.

DECKARD:

Take it easy mister, don't get

excited.

TAFFEY:

Nobody pushes me around.

DECKARD:

Forget I asked. My mistake.

Water under the bridge.

Taffey looks a little startled. It was this easy ? He's

kind of pleased with himself now that he's firmly estab-

lished his authority.

TAFFEY:

No hard feelings. I just don't

take a push, that's all.

DECKARD:

No hard feelings.

TAFFEY:

(to the bartender)

Louis, the man's dry. Give him

one on the house, huh ?

BARTENDER:

Whatcha drinking ?

DECKARD:

Smokey, dry.

TAFFEY:

You assed about a snake.....

Deckard is suddenly hopeful.

DECKARD:

Yeah.....

TAFFEY:

Wanna see a snake, huh?

The Bartender puts a weird drink in front of Deckard...

tiny worms floating in a viscous liquid.

Deckard takes the drink like he was used to it and swigs.

TAFFEY:

Louis, show the cop the snake,

willya?

The Bartender reaches under the bar and pulls out a

large snake that writhes lazily on the bar. It is

bright gold.

DECKARD:

(disappointed)

Wrong snake.

TAFFEY:

Don't like gold ?

DECKARD:

Gold's okay.

TAFFEY:

Original paint job was shitty. Those

f***ing Egyptian's do crappy work.

DECKARD:

How long ago did ya paint it?

TAFFEY:

I dunno. Couple of months.

Why ?

Deckard looks discouraged, swigs the last of his drink.

DECKARD:

No reason. Doesn't matter.

(to the bartender)

Gimmee another, willya?

There is a burst of applause and they all look around

toward the stage.

A large egg has appeared on the stage, beside it a

smaller egg.

TAFFEY:

Getta loada this. New act.

Very artistic, very sen-shoe-all.

Beautiful.

Music starts to play.

Deckard looks bored and discouraged. Absently starts

picking up his junk off the bar... the wads of money cards,

cigarette packs, matches... the picture of Rachael. That

catches his attention.

Deckard stares at the picture for a long moment.

DECKARD:

Gotta phone ?

CUT TO:

INT. TAFFEY'S BAR MOMENTS LATER

Deckard is at a telephone not far from the bar. He's

got the phone hooked between his shoulder and ear while

he notes a number.

DECKARD:

.......six six five. Thanks.

Deckard breaks the connection, then starts punching the

numbers.

Behind him the stage show is progressing. A beautiful

woman named SALOME is emerging from the large egg, very

scantily clad, an erotic birth scene.

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