Fast Times at Ridgemont High

FADE IN:

EXT. RIDGEMONT CENTER MALL - NIGHT

From the outside parking lot it looks like an

enormous beached whale. It is the prime hangout for

all the teenagers in the area. Kids mill around the

parking lot or stand by the mall entrance.

INT. RIDGEMONT CENTER MALL

There are three levels of stores underneath a

massive fluorescent roof. Different music comes

from each store. It looks seventies-modern, but

already used and run-down. Groups of kids cruise

the mall, eyeing each other and acting cool.

INT. SWENSON'S ICE-CREAM PARLOR - NIGHT

The teenage waitresses in their peppermint pattie

uniforms are rushing around, trying to keep up with

their orders.

A good-looking man in his mid-twenties enters and

sits. He wears a plastic name tag that says:

"Pacific Stereo Audio Consultant, RON JOHNSON."

Two Swenson's Waitresses pass by with supreme

indifference, and take their orders into the back

kitchen.

INT. SWENSON'S BACK KITCHEN

WAITRESS #1

I think he looks like Richard Gere.

The two Waitresses discuss the issue at hand. One

of them, Linda Barrett, is the seventeen year old,

retired sex queen of Ridgemont High.

WAITRESS #1 (CONT'D)

I think he looks like... Richard

Gere. (Bruce Springsteen)

LINDA:

Did you see his cute little butt?

A third waitress enters.

WAITRESS #2

Let's talk about C-19.

WAITRESS #1 AND LINDA

We were!

WAITRESS #2

I think I'll drop over and change

the shakers.

LINDA:

No, be cool, that's Stacy's

section.

Through the entrance, we see Stacy Hamilton. She is

the fifteen-year-old trainee, sweet-looking with

just the last traces of baby fat. She puts down a

glass of water for Ron, spills some and mops it up.

WAITRESS #1

He's too old for Stacy, she hasn't

even started high school yet.

A flustered Stacy enters the back kitchen.

LINDA:

How's it going.

STACY:

Do you think that guy's cute?

WAITRESS #1

In a blow-dryed kind of way.

STACY:

Does anyone else want to take his

table?

LINDA:

Don't you like him?

STACY:

Yeah, but I f***ed up. You can take

it. Really.

LINDA:

Come on, Stacy, it's your section

and your man.

STACY:

What should I do?

LINDA:

Just take his order, look him in

the eye and if he says anything

remotely funny, laugh a lot.

She fluffs up Stacy's hair and gently shoves her

towards the door. Stacy reluctantly exits.

INT. SWENSON'S DINING ROOM

Stacy goes to Ron's table.

RON:

So you working hard or hardly

working?

Stacy thinks it over, decides it's a joke and

laughs (a little too late). Ron looks at her

soulfully.

RON (CONT'D)

You look like you could still be in

high school.

STACY:

I know, everyone says that.

He stares at her and she stares back uncomfortably.

STACY (CONT'D)

What can I get for you tonight.

RON:

How about your phone number?

Stacy smiles nervously.

INT. RIDGEMONT MALL - OUTSIDE SWENSON'S - NIGHT

A teenage boy stands in front of an in-mall theatre

across from Swenson's. He wears a stiff over-sized

tuxedo suit. He is Mark "The Rat" Ratner, a ticket

taker on the job.

Mike Damone, a transplanted Easterner, bops over

from the record store, eyeing every girl he passes.

He stops at the movie theatre.

THE RAT:

Do you ever look at those girls who

work at Swenson's? They're

beautiful. And I have to stand out

here and watch them six nights a

week.

DAMONE:

You should work for yourself.

Two Junior High Kids spot Damone, walk up to him.

DAMONE (CONT'D)

What can I do for you, gentlemen?

JUNIOR HIGH KID #1

You the guy with the Van Halen

tickets?

DAMONE:

I could be.

JUNIOR HIGH KID #2

What do you want for something in

the first ten rows?

DAMONE:

Twenty bucks apiece.

JUNIOR HIGH KID #1

Those tickets were only twelve

fifty!

DAMONE:

So don't buy 'em.

JUNIOR HIGH KID #2

(to friend)

All the other scalpers are sold

out, Arnold.

Damone reacts indignantly.

DAMONE:

Scalper? You call me a scalper? I

perform a service, my friends. The

service costs money. Now do you

want the tickets or not?

The Kids look at each other.

JUNIOR HIGH KID #1

Are you sure you can't go any

lower.

DAMONE:

These are my special back-to-school

prices.

JUNIOR HIGH KID #2

We'll take 'em.

Damone reaches inside his pants pocket for a wad of

tickets.

EXT. CARL'S JR. - NIGHT

At the other end of the mall is a neon-lit Carl's

Jr. Hamburger Restaurant. If Swenson's was the warm

up, this is the main attraction of the Ridgemont

Mall.

INT. CARL'S JR.

Back-to-school banners hang from the walls. Many

kids are lined up at the counters. In the middle of

the kitchen, directing all the orders, is a

seventeen year old named Brad. He moves

confidently, observing the fryer, checking cup

supply, and giving an affectionate squeeze to a

pretty cashier named Lisa. She lets him kiss her,

but only once.

A teenage Customer shouts to Brad from the front

counter.

CUSTOMER:

Hey Brad! I waited till you came

on! I wanted your fries.

Brad smiles, walks over to the fryer and discards

the fries left from the previous shift. He shouts

to the other employees as he puts in a new batch,

"his" batch.

BRAD:

We need fifteen Superstars, David!

FELLOW EMPLOYEE #1

Okay, Brad!

BRAD:

I'll take care of the fry orders!

Just get me the Superstars!

FELLOW EMPLOYEE #2

Fish sandwiches!

Brad spots three surfers sitting in the dining

area. None of them are wearing shirts.

BRAD:

Hey you guys! You had shirts on

when you came in here.

ANGLE ON THE MAIN SURFER

a bleary kid sitting at the head of the table. He

runs a hand through his long, stringy blond hair.

After a time, he speaks.

SPICOLI:

Something happened to them, mon.

BRAD:

Come on, Spicoli. Why don't you

just put your shirts back on? See

the sign?

ANGLE ON HANDWRITTEN SIGN IN WINDOW

that reads:
"No Shirts, No Shoes, No Dice"

INT. CARL'S JR.

A store manager, Dennis Taylor, bustles up to Brad.

DENNIS:

Any problems?

BRAD:

No, just a couple of surfers with

no shirts on. I took care of it,

Dennis.

ANGLE ON SURFERS

grumbling, putting shirts back on. It pains them.

Dennis heads back to his office when he sees

something in the trash bin.

DENNIS:

Did you throw away those fries,

Hamilton?

BRAD:

They were left over from the last

shift.

DENNIS:

Those were perfectly good fries,

Hamilton.

(glares at Brad)

Perfectly good.

BRAD:

But they weren't mine.

Brad laughs, goes back to work.

INT. MALL - LATE NIGHT

It is closed and only a few janitors remain. Stacy

and Linda walk through the large empty mall.

STACY:

He gave me his card.

(lovingly)

'Ron Johnson, Audio Consultant.'

LINDA:

(amused)

Should we buy a frame for that?

STACY:

Come on, Linda, I haven't had a

boyfriend all summer. You promised

when I started working at the mall

that my life would change... Do you

think he'll call this week?

LINDA:

Listen, Stace, you want to know

about guys? I'll tell you. They're

mostly chicken. Before I met Doug I

chased after every guy I thought

was cute. I thought if I gave out a

vibe they'd get the message and

call me up. Well, guess what? They

don't call.

STACY:

So what did you do?

LINDA:

I called them. If I was sitting

next to a guy and I wanted to sit

closer, I'd sit closer. If I wanted

to kiss him, I'd just do it. You

want Ron Johnson? Grab him.

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