Five Easy Pieces Page #12

CATHERINE:

No inner feeling.

BOBBY:

That's right.

CATHERINE:

I don't believe vou.

He leans down to her, begins kissing her. Her arms

encircle him and laying back on the bed, she pulls

his body onto hers, fervently returning his kisses.

And as he responds with an ardor absent of fakery

and full of a lifetime of derelict feelings, a FADE

OVER BEGINS, to:

INT. CATHERINE'S BEDROOM - DAY

Catherine and Bobby lie side by side. He watches

her as she addresses the ceiling:

CATHERINE:

I married him when I was 17. He was

a cellist, and I thought he was the

most brilliant man I'd ever met...

And I'm sure he was, because at

that age, I hadn't met that many...

But he was insidious, you know. He

had me convinced that I was a

mediocrity, musically, as a woman,

as an intellect. But in this

completely imperceptible, pleasant

way, so that you weren't even sure

he was doing it. Anyway, I just

woke up one morning and I said, you

know something Joseph, you're full

of beans, and I left him...

BOBBY:

That's what you said?

CATHERINE:

Something witty and devastating

like that.

She moves onto her side, looking over at him.

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

As a matter of fact, he's the one

who introduced me to Carl...

(a pause, then:
)

How are you?

BOBBY:

I'm fine.

CATHERINE:

Carl restored my confidence. He

really did. He's much more

substantial than you give him

credit for.

BOBBY:

Is he?

CATHERINE:

Yes.

She reaches over, tentatively caressing his face,

then:

CATHERINE (CONT'D)

Do you think you could discreetly

move across the hall now?

BOBBY:

Yeah, I think I could.

He kisses her, gets up and crosses to the door, and

as he opens it:

CATHERINE:

Robert?

BOBBY:

What?

CATHERINE:

I could spend some time with you

tomorrow morning, before Carl comes

back, I mean, if you'd like to.

BOBBY:

Of course I'd like to.

EXT. LA ROCHE WOODS - DAY

(CHOPIN OVER:
)

Bobby and Catherine walk over a path through a

thickly wooded area that presently brings them in

sight of the Dupea house. He stops and, taking hold

of her, leans back against a tree, kissing her.

When they break off and resume walking, she takes

one of his hands in both of hers and, after looking

at the scars and callouses accumulated by his years

of manual labor, she lays the hand against her

cheek.

The ANGLE ALTERS from them, to:

EXT. DUPEA HOUSE - DAY

A taxicab pulls up in front of the house. Rayette

gets out with her suitcase and, after paying the

driver, moves up the steps to the front door and

reaches out to ring the bell.

INT. DUPEA DINING ROOM TABLE - NIGHT

ON RAYETTE:

looking down the table to Nicholas.

RAYETTE:

You certainly do have a beautiful

piece a real estate out here, Mr.

Dupea.

ON NICHOLAS AND SPICER

the former with his chin resting on his chest.

RAYETTE:

(turning to Bobby)

Can he hear me?

Bobby doesn't respond.

TITA:

(politely)

He's not hard of hearing.

RAYETTE:

Well, that's a blessing, at least.

She takes a bite of food, and as she chews:

RAYETTE (CONT'D)

This certainly is an improvement on

the motel an' the coffee shop.

(to Bobby)

How could you have left such a

beautiful place, Bobby?

BOBBY:

I don't know.

ON CARL:

fascinated with Rayette, while beside him,

Catherine keeps her eyes on her plate as she eats.

CARL:

You've been staying in a motel all

this time?

RAYETTE:

For two whole weeks, an' there

wasn't hardly nobody there to talk

to but me.

The manager of the place told me it

was the off season, an' it must a

ben, because other'n me, there was

just this 25-year-old kid, DeLyon,

that didn't appear to be all there,

an' this old married pair next to

me that was always hollerin' for

quiet. Can you imagine? All you

could a heard there was a pin, an'

them, hollerin' away...

CARL:

I don't understand why you had to

stay in a motel. There's more than

enough room here.

RAYETTE:

Well, I was goin' to, but Bobby

said he hadda kind of feel things

up here first, which I can

understand, but then it went an'

took so long, I ran flat outa

money...

(to Bobby)

I didn't have no number to call,

you know.

(to Carl)

So I hadda clear outa there an'

come on up here, in the hopes that

I wouldn't be intrudin' myself...

CARL:

Oh, no. You're more than welcome.

RAYETTE:

Well, thank you, that's a very nice

thing for you to say.

CARL:

Not at all.

She goes on eating and there is a brief silence

before she resumes, looking over at Catherine:

RAYETTE:

That certainly is a beautiful head

a hair you have.

CATHERINE:

Thank you.

RAYETTE:

Is it natural?

BOBBY:

Rayette.

RAYETTE:

What?

BOBBY:

Just finish eating.

RAYETTE:

Oh, am I holdin' up dessert?

Carl laughs.

CARL:

No, you're not. Go ahead and take

your time.

RAYETTE:

I do eat slow as a bird, whereas

Bobby can put it away like a speed

swing...

(to Tita)

Is there any ketchup around?

BOBBY:

Oh, for chrissakes...

CARL:

Robert, let's not be rude, okay?

RAYETTE:

It's all right. He don't mean

anything by that.

BOBBY:

I don't, huh?

He throws his napkin on the table, gets up and

leaves the room. There is an awkward silence,

followed by Rayette valiantly covering her own

feelings:

RAYETTE:

I guess Bobby's just about the

moodiest man I ever ben with...

INT. FISHERMAN'S BAR - MAINLAND - NIGHT

(TAMMY WYNETTE'S "DON'T TOUCH ME" OVER:)

Bobby finishes the last of several drinks. He ships

a half pint into his jacket pocket, lays some bills

on the bar and moves toward the door.

EXT. FISHERMAN'S BAR - MAINLAND - NIGHT

(WYNETTE OVER:
)

Thoroughly anesthetized, he wanders aimlessly

through the harbor-front streets. As he disappears

into the dark, the MUSIC FADES.

EXT. WHARF - MAINLAND - DAWN

ON BOBBY:

lying huddled on the boardwalk next to the boat

slips. The crying of the gulls and the sound of

outgoing fishing launches awaken him. Disoriented,

he gets to his feet and, hugging himself against

the cold, moves unsteadily down the dock.

EXT. FERRY - MORNING

Bobby's car pulls off the ferry and approaches a

line of cars waiting to board. He sees Catherine at

the wheel of the first car, and pulling abreast of

her, stops and rolls down his window.

BOBBY:

Where are you going?

CATHERINE:

I'm going to pick up some friends

of Carl's. Are you all right?

BOBBY:

I have to talk to you.

CATHERINE:

I'll be back later...

The blocked cars behind each of them begin HONKING

impatiently and CONTINUE TO under the following:

BOBBY:

No, I want to talk to you now. I

have to explain something about...

CATHERINE:

No, you don't have to, it isn't

necessary...

BOBBY:

(overlapping her)

Yes, it is!

A DRIVER behind Bobby sticks his bead out the

window, yelling furiously at him:

DRIVER:

Come on, get moving, dammit!!

BOBBY:

(turning around to him)

Will you shut up for a minute!!

(to Catherine)

Pull your car out of line.

CATHERINE:

No, I can't...

BOBBY:

Will you let me talk to you,

please?

CATHERINE:

I can't do that. I haven't been

being fair to Carl. I have to tell

you that.

BOBBY:

(barely audible)

Oh. You have to tell me that.

CATHERINE:

What?! I can't hear you!

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