Four Rooms Page #18

MAN:

I don't trust babysitters. My children are safer alone than

with some f***ed-up pedophile babysitter I don't know

from the man in the f***ing moon.

WIFE:

What about him? What makes you think you can trust him?

Man grabs Ted's face and tilts it torward Wife.

MAN:

Tell me that's not a face you can trust.

Man lets go of Ted's face. He feels his jaw. It's still there.

TED:

Look, sir, I'd like to help you out, but I really can't. I'm all

alone here tonight.

Man whips out his wallet and counts out money in Ted's face.

MAN:

One hundred . . . two hundred . . . three hundred . . .

TED:

I thought you said five hundred.

Man glares at Ted.

MAN:

I said three hundred.

Ted doesn't back down.

TED:

No, you distinctly said five hundred.

The angrier Man gets, the quieter he talks.

MAN:

You calling me a liar?

Ted, while not backing down, massages the situation.

TED:

No, I'm not saying you're lying. I'm saying you accidentally

forgot that what you first said was five hundred.

Man has never been challenged like this by a f***in' bellboy.

MAN:

I don't do anything accidentally, jerk. I might've first said

five hundred, but what I last said was three hundred, and

what you say last is what counts.

Ted not only doesn't back down, but psychologically pokes his finger in the

scary Man's chest.

TED:

Well then, if you say five hundred one last time, we got a deal.

Man's eyes narrow. He physically pokes his finger in Ted's chest.

MAN:

You f***in' with me, Pendejo?

Now Ted takes a step backwards.

TED:

No, not at all. It's New Year's Eve and I'm here alone. If

there was somebody else here, no problem, but I'm by myself.

And looking after your kids is a pain in the ass I don't need--

MAN:

You callin' my kids a pain in the ass?

TED:

--No, they're not a pain in the ass, it's the situation that's

a pain in the ass.

Man drops the tenseness.

MAN:

No, you were right the first time. You win, tough guy, five hundred.

Man respects Ted for not backing down, but not insulting him either. A

skill Man never learned. Wife shoots a look at the children.

WIFE:

(disgusted)

You kids are getting expensive.

Juancho turns back to the TV.

Sarah stares down Wife.

MAN:

(looking at name tag)

What's your name? Ted?

CLOSE-UP of name tag.

TED:

Yeah. It's Ted.

Man tears off Ted's name tag and throws it to children.

MAN:

(to the children)

His name is Ted. If you need anything, dial 0 and ask for Ted.

Sarah catches the name tag and reads the name on it: "TED--BELLHOP."

Sarah looks up at Ted. She clips the pin to her dress and smiles shyly at

him.

Man puts the money in Ted's pocket and then grabs his ear, pulling him

close.

MAN:

(deadly whisper)

If something happens to my children, I wouldn't want to be you.

WIFE:

Make sure they're in bed before midnight.

TED:

(thinking)

Before midnight? Then should I wake them up for the

countdown to the New Year?

Wife looks disgusted.

WIFE:

No . . .

As Man and Wife exit, he turns to the kids and says:

MAN:

Don't misbehave.

Man closes the door.

INT. HALLWAY

Man and Wife book it down the hall before Ted can change his mind.

ROOM 716

Ted is standing facing the door the Man and Wife just disappeared through.

He turns around slowly to face the children.

His eyes are wide. His face is quiet. Stern.

The children are staring at him.

TED:

Okay. These are the rules. Don't break the rules and I won't

break your necks.

The kids look at each other.

TED:

(smiling)

I always wanted to say that. Someone said that to me when

I was a kid.

Sarah laughs at his joke.

TED:

Except they were joking. I'm not.

Ted goes to the door.

TED:

The rules are simple. Don't do anything you wouldn't do if

your parents were here. If there's an emergency, call me on

the phone, like your dad said.

SARAH:

That's not what he said.

Ted's surprised by a challenge this early in the game.

SARAH:

He said to call if we need anything.

TED:

Well, I've got a lot of work to do and I can't have you calling

me every time you want a drink of water, so please limit

your calls to emergencies only.

SARAH:

We paid you five hundred dollars. We'll call you if we need

anything. You don't want to upset my dad.

TED:

Okay. Please. Try to call only when necessary. Watch TV,

and if you're good, I'll bring up some milk and cookies. Bye.

Ted leaves.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY

Ted walks briskly down the hall, counting his money the whole way.

CUT TO:

INT. ROOM 716

Juancho takes off his socks and shoes and throws them onto the floor. Sarah

looks at the discarded shoes and socks.

CLOSE ON the shoes and socks.

Sarah looks over at Juancho's bare feet. Her nose twitches.

SARAH:

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