Clerks Page #4

DANTE:

I think you'd better leave now.

ACTIVIST:

You want me to leave? Why? Because

somebody is telling it like it is?

Somebody's giving these fine people

a wake-up call?!

DANTE:

You're loitering in here, and causing

a disturbance.

ACTIVIST:

You're the disturbance, pal! And

here...

(slaps a dollar on

the counter)

I'm buying some... what's this?...

Chewlie's Gum. There. I'm no longer

loitering. I'm a customer, a customer

engaged in a discussion with other

customers.

LISTENER 2

(to DANTE)

Yeah, now shut up so he can speak!

ACTIVIST:

Oh, he's scared now! He sees the

threat we present! He smells the

changes coming, and the loss of sales

when the nonsmokers finally demand

satisfaction. We demand the right to

breathe cleaner air!

LISTENER 3

Yeah!

ACTIVIST:

We'd rather chew our gum than embrace

slow death! Let's abolish this heinous

practice of sucking poison, and if

it means ruffling the feathers of a

convenience store idiot, then so be

it!

DANTE:

That's it, everybody out.

ACTIVIST:

We're not moving! We have a right, a

constitutional right, to assemble

and be heard!

DANTE:

Yeah, but not in here.

ACTIVIST:

What better place than this? To stamp

it out, you gotta start at the source!

DANTE:

Like I'm responsible for all the

smokers!

ACTIVIST:

The ones in this town, yes! You

encourage their growth, their habit.

You're the source in this area, and

we're going to shut you down for

good! For good, cancer-merchant!

The small crowd begins to chant and jeer in DANTE's face.

CROWD:

Cancer merchant! Cancer merchant!

Cancer merchant!

VERONICA enters and surveys the mess. The CROWD throws

cigarettes at DANTE, pelting him in the face. Suddenly, a

loud blast is heard, and white powder explodes over the

throng. Everyone turns to face...

VERONICA as she stands in one of the freezer cases, holding

a fire extinguisher.

VERONICA:

Who's leading this mob?

The CROWD looks among themselves. Someone points to O.C.

SOMEONE:

That guy.

The ACTIVIST carries his briefcase surreptitiously toward

the door.

VERONICA (O.S.)

Freeze.

VERONICA jumps off the freezer case, training the nozzle of

the extinguisher on the ACTIVIST.

VERONICA:

Let's see some credentials.

He reaches into his briefcase. She pokes the extinguisher

nozzle at him, warningly.

VERONICA:

Slowly...

He pulls out a business card and hands it to her. She reads

it.

VERONICA:

You're a Chewlie's Gum representative?

He nods.

VERONICA:

And you're stirring up all this

antismoking sentiment to... what?...

sell more gum?

He nods again.

VERONICA:

(through gritted teeth)

Get out of here.

He quickly flees. She blasts him with more chemical as he

exits.

VERONICA:

(to the crowd)

And you people:
Don't you have jobs

to go to? Get out of here and go

commute.

The CROWD sheepishly exits, one by one, offering apologetic

glances. DANTE tries to regain his composure.

VERONICA watches the crowd disperse, disgusted.

VERONICA:

You oughta be ashamed of yourselves.

Easily led automatons. Try thinking

for yourself before you pelt and

innocent man with cigarettes.

The last of the crowd exits. VERONICA sets the fire

extinguisher down next to DANTE. DANTE is sitting on the

floor, head in his folded arms.

VERONICA:

It looked like Tiananmen Square in

here for a second.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes