Confidence

FADE IN:
.

INT. BEDROOM - APARTMENT - DAY

The sweet silence of slumber. Suddenly, an alarm clock on a

nightstand SHRIEKS the operatic tones of Maria Callas.

A well-manicured hand, nails painted pink, slaps the snooze

button and mutes Maria. A few seconds reprieve.

Then, another clock, stationed on a dresser, broadcasts the

FORTISSIMO POUNDING of the "William Tell Overture." Toes,

also painted pink, swing out of bed and run to the dresser.

LETTY MAYER, late 20s and beautiful, turns off the music.

She opens a dresser drawer and surveys panties that are

arranged by color, from white to beige to black. Behind the

panties are rows of bras, also organized by color. Letty

.

pulls out some taupe undergarments, checks them against her

nails and replaces them in favor of a pink bra and panties.

Letty goes to her closet and removes a tailored, pink linen

suit. She lays it on the bed. Beast, her cat, jumps on the

bed and settles into the jacket. Letty swoops the animal off

her clothes and brushes cat hair from the suit. .

LETTY:

Listen, Beast. What have I told

you about linen?

The scolding is cut short by an "Urge Overkill" song that

SCREAMS OUT from another room. On cue, Letty heads down the

hall, dressing as she goes. She CLUCKS for Beast to follow.

INT. KITCHEN - SAME

Letty turns off the alarm clock that BLASTS "Urge Overkill"

from the counter and checks the time against her watch.

She swings open a cupboard to look at cans of cat food

arranged by type. Seafood on the left, chicken in the

middle, then, naturally, beef. Letty reaches for a can.

.

LETTY:

(looking at Beast)

It's liver saute.

Letty considers the cat a moment, and chooses another can.

LETTY .

Fine, then, chicken in gravy. But

you're going to have to eat the

liver tomorrow.

2.

INT. BATHROOM - SAME

Letty puts the finishing touches on her make-up and pulls

back her hair, plastering an errant curl into place with hair

spray. Yet another alarm clock sounds, this time BLARING the

voice of shock jocks MARK AND BRIAN.

INT. ENTRY HALL - SAME

Letty hurries down the hall and turns off the clock, which is

mounted near the front door. She bends down to kiss the cat

good-bye, grabs a briefcase and leaves.

EXT. HALLWAY - CHASEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - DAY

A school bell BUZZES. Grade-schoolers, clutching lunch

pails, scurry past Letty, who stands outside an office door.

She straightens her jacket, takes a deep breath and starts to

turn the handle.

Letty is stopped cold when CHANDRA, 7, the victim of a bloody

nose, runs up to her, bawling.

CHANDRA:

Miss Mayer. Miss Mayer.

Letty looks quickly at Chandra, her watch, the door.

LETTY:

(to Chandra)

Goodness, this is a bad one. Tip

your head back.

She bends down and pushes back Chandra's head. Chandra, off

balance, places one very bloody hand on Letty's jacket lapel,

staining it for all eternity.

Letty, grimacing, takes the bloody hand firmly in her own and

guides Chandra down the hall, coaxing the child as she goes.

LETTY:

Come on. Pinch it, Chandra. Pinch

it.

INT. PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - CHASEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - LATER

PRINCIPAL GAIL LAUER, 40s, sits in uncomfortable silence with

BILL JOHANSEN, the 50-something school Superintendent. Also

present are MRS. MONTES, who is a School Board Member, and

two other BOARD MEMBERS.

.

Principal Gail glances at the clock. Mrs. Montes taps her

foot. Johansen clears his throat.

3.

JOHANSEN:

Well, I have a full calendar today,

and I'm afraid...

The door bursts open. Letty stumbles into the room. She

clutches her briefcase to her chest, trying to cover her

blood-smeared lapel.

LETTY:

Mr. Johansen, hello. I'm so sorry

I'm late. It's very nice to meet

you.

Letty continues to hug the briefcase while awkwardly bending

down to shake hands with Johansen and the others.

PRINCIPAL GAIL:

The Superintendent was just getting

ready to leave.

LETTY:

I do apologize. A student had a

crisis.

MRS. MONTES

A crisis, you say?

LETTY:

A bloody nose...

There is no response. Letty reluctantly lowers the briefcase

and reveals the stain.

LETTY:

A bloody nose of epic proportions.

Johansen smiles.

JOHANSEN:

OK, Miss Mayer. Ten minutes. Wow

us.

EXT. PLAYGROUND - CHASEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - LATER

A bunch of BOYS play kickball in a haze of sawdust. Chandra

sits on a bench, clamping an ice pack to her nose. JENNY, a

limber 8-year-old, hangs upside down from the jungle gym.

Letty talks on her CELL PHONE. She glances around to monitor

her wards, eyes darting like a hawk's toward the kickball

game.

4.

LETTY:

No cherry drops, Jenny.

(into the phone)

Yes, hi. I'm calling for Paul

Lascher.

(beat)

Could you tell him it's Letty?

(beat)

He can't? Um, well, tell him, tell

him that they went for my math

idea. Thanks.

Letty dials again. She sees two boys fighting over the ball

and moves in to break them up.

LETTY:

(to boys)

Not so rough, guys.

(into phone)

Mom? Hi. You'll never guess

what...I've got the best news.

(beat)

No, about work. How about dinner?

Brawl averted, out of the corner of her eye, Letty catches

Jenny make the daring Cherry Drop back flip off the bar. She

blows a series of ANGRY, STACCATO NOTES on her whistle.

LETTY:

(to Jenny)

You're in trouble, young lady.

.

(into the phone)

I know, Mom. But it's the only

place I can call from.

(beat)

Can you tell Ruth about dinner?

(beat)

Paul's fine, just fine.

The class bell BUZZES.

LETTY:

Got to go, Mom. The monsters call.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Tuxedoed waiters glide through the tony restaurant, where the

patrons dare speak only in hushed tones. Letty sits sipping

wine with her mother, MRS. MARTHA MAYER, immaculate in a

cream suit, young looking for her 50-odd years.

5.

Letty's sister RUTH--early 20s and pretty, with flyaway hair

and an ever-present smile--bounds into the restaurant, oozing

happiness. Letty discretely waves her over.

RUTH:

Sorry I'm late.

Letty pours her a glass of wine.

MRS. MAYER

Letty was just getting ready to

tell me her good news.

RUTH:

(to Letty)

Tell, tell.

MRS. MAYER

(leaning toward Letty)

Letty, dear, is that a cat hair on

your blouse?

Letty removes the nasty hair from her blouse.

LETTY:

So, I got the district to approve

my after-school math program.

Ruth smiles at her, but vacantly.

MRS. MAYER

How wonderful, darling.

(beat)

What does that mean for you?

LETTY:

I'll be running it three days a

week, and...

MRS. MAYER

Will you get time off to do that?

LETTY:

Not now, but maybe later, if they

like the program.

Ruth stares around the restaurant, a sh*t-eating grin

plastered across her face.

LETTY:

(to Ruth)

What's up with you?

6.

RUTH:

Me? Nothing. Tell me more about

the job.

MRS. MAYER

(to Ruth)

Not a job, a promotion.

LETTY:

No, Mom, it's more of a prestige

thing.

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