Even Cowgirls Get The Blues Page #23

Then Sissy and Jelly hear a news broadcast on the radio.

ANNOUNCER:

Judge Greenfield, at the request of

the ACLU, has granted a forty-eight-

hour extension of the deadline by

which the Rubber Rose cowgirls must

comply with his order. Negotiations

between the cowgirls and the

government are expected to follow.

Another item in, the forewoman of

the Rubber Rose Ranch, a Delores del

Ruby is now free on bond after having

been arrested in Mottburg with more

than fifty pounds of peyote buttons.

Her bail has been paid by the owner

of the besieged ranch, Countess

Products, Inc. Miss del Ruby's bail

having come from the tycoon's personal

advisor, a certain Dr. Robbins of

New York City.

SISSY:

Dr. Robbins?

EXT. PRAIRIE NIGHT

Sissy and Jelly lie under the same stars, under the same

blankets. Under the same spell.

JELLY:

Every time I tell you that I love

you, you flinch. But that's your

problem.

SISSY:

If I flinch when you say you love

me, it's both our problems. My

confusion becomes your confusion.

Students confuse teachers, patients

confuse psychiatrists, lovers with

confused hearts confuse lovers with

clear hearts....

EXT. CAMPFIRE NIGHT

Delores and some of the other cowgirls are talking. A sharp

wind is beginning to gust.

DELORES:

It isn't for ourselves that we take

this stand. It isn't for cowgirls.

It's for all the daughters everywhere.

This is an extremely important

confrontation. This is womankind's

chance to prove to her enemy that

she's willing to fight and die. If

we women don't show here and now

that we aren't afraid to fight and

die, then our enemy will never take

us seriously. Men will always know

that, no matter how strong our words

and determined our deeds, there's a

point where we'll back down and give

them their way.

Delores cracks her whip then parades around the campfire.

DELORES:

I'm prepared to win! Victory for

every female, living or dead, who's

suffered the temporary defeats of

masculine insensitivity to their

inner lives!

A few of the cowgirls cheer.

DONNA:

I'll fight the bastards.

Big Red opens a can of beans with a Bowie knife.

BIG RED:

I'll fight 'em with bean gas, if

necessary.

Delores snaps her whip again.

DELORES:

The sun's going down. Let's those of

us not standing watch get some sleep.

In the morning we'll plan our fight.

Tomorrow afternoon those of you who'd

like can join me in the reeds, where

the cranes and I will be sharing the

last crumbs left in the peyote sack.

EXT. SIWASH LAKE DAY

Delores del Ruby appears from the reeds at Siwash Lake's

edge, asleep yet awake. She has sunk so deep into the hole

in her mind that gale and dust could not follow her.

AS SHE APPROACHES THE COWGIRL CAMP, THEY GATHER AROUND HER

IN A TIGHT CIRCLE.

MANY ARE TRANSFIXED as they listen.

DELORES:

It is woman's mission to destroy as

well as to give birth. We will destroy

the tyranny of the dull. But we can't

destroy it with guns. Or whips.

Violence is the dullard's Breakfast

of Champions and the logical end

product of his or her misplaced pride.

Violence fertilizes that which we

would starve. No, we will destroy

the enemy in other ways. The Peyote

Mother has promised a Fourth Vision.

But it won't come to me alone. It

will come to each of you, to every

cowgirl in the land, when you have

overcome that in your own self which

is dull. The Fourth Vision will come

to some men too. You will recognize

them when you meet them, and be their

steady sidekicks in equal and ecstatic

escapades of poetic behavior and

romance.

Delores holds up a card. The prairie moon illuminates its

tattered edges. It is the jack of hearts.

The forewoman seems to be tiring. Fumes of weariness stream

from her black hair. Her voice is leaning against the wall

of her larynx when she says:

DELORES:

First thing, you must end this

business with the government and the

cranes. It's been positive and

fruitful, but it's gone far enough.

Playfulness ceases to serve a serious

purpose when it takes itself too

seriously. Sorry I won't be with you

at the conclusion. As you know, I've

been sick and stupid for a long time.

I have a lot to make up for, a lot

to accomplish, and there's someone

important that I've got to see. Now.

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