Clerks Page #15

DANTE:

All right, so even if independent

contractors are working on the Death

Star, why are you uneasy with its

destruction?

RANDAL:

All those innocent contractors

hired to do a job were killed-

casualties of a war they had nothing

to do with.

(notices Dante's

confusion)

All right, look-you're a roofer, and

some juicy government contract comes

your way; you got the wife and kids

and the two-story in suburbia-this

is a government contract, which means

all sorts of benefits. All of a sudden

these left-wing militants blast you

with lasers and wipe out everyone

within a three-mile radius. You

didn't ask for that. You have no

personal politics. You're just trying

to scrape out a living.

The BLUE-COLLAR MAN joins them.

BLUE-COLLAR MAN

Excuse me. I don't mean to interrupt,

but what were you talking about?

RANDAL:

The ending of Return of the Jedi.

DANTE:

My friend is trying to convince me

that any contractors working on the

uncompleted Death Star were innocent

victims when the space station was

destroyed by the rebels.

BLUE-COLLAR MAN

Well, I'm a contractor myself. I'm a

roofer...

(digs into pocket and

produces business

card)

Dunn and Reddy Home Improvements.

And speaking as a roofer, I can say

that a roofer's personal politics

come heavily into play when choosing

jobs.

RANDAL:

Like when?

BLUE-COLLAR MAN

Three months ago I was offered a job

up in the hills. A beautiful house

with tons of property. It was a simple

reshingling job, but I was told that

if it was finished within a day, my

price would be doubled. Then I

realized whose house it was.

DANTE:

Whose house was it?

BLUE-COLLAR MAN

Dominick Bambino's.

RANDAL:

"Babyface" Bambino? The gangster?

BLUE-COLLAR MAN

The same. The money was right, but

the risk was too big. I knew who he

was, and based on that, I passed the

job on to a friend of mine.

DANTE:

Based on personal politics.

BLUE-COLLAR MAN

Right. And that week, the Foresci

family put a hit on Babyface's house.

My friend was shot and killed. He

wasn't even finished shingling.

RANDAL:

No way!

BLUE-COLLAR MAN

(paying for coffee)

I'm alive because I knew there were

risks involved taking on that

particular client. My friend wasn't

so lucky.

(pauses to reflect)

You know, any contractor willing to

work on that Death Star knew the

risks. If they were killed, it was

their own fault. A roofer listens to

this...

(taps his heart)

not his wallet.

The BLUE-COLLAR MAN exits. DANTE and RANDAL remain

respectfully quiet for a moment. An angry WOMAN opens the

door and pokes her head in.

WOMAN:

Is that video store open or not?

CUT TO:

INT:
VIDEO STORE. DAY

RANDAL reads a newspaper. An INDECISIVE CUSTOMER studies the

two rental choices she holds. She looks from one movie to

the other repeatedly.

INDECISIVE CUSTOMER

(attempting a solicit

help)

They say so much, but they never

tell you if it's any good.

RANDAL hardly stirs and continues to read his paper. The

INDECISIVE CUSTOMER half turns to see if her comment was

even heard. She tries again, but this time with a different

approach.

INDECISIVE CUSTOMER

Are either of these any good?

RANDAL continues to read. The INDECISIVE CUSTOMER tries

harder, then louder and more direct:

INDECISIVE CUSTOMER

Sir!

RANDAL continues to read.

RANDAL:

(flatly)

What.

The INDECISIVE CUSTOMER holds up her rental choices.

INDECISIVE CUSTOMER

(politely)

Are either of these any good?

RANDAL, as always, reads on.

RANDAL:

(again, flatly)

I don't watch movies.

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