Hero Page #19

BUBBER:

Uh, er... I...

GALE:

(amused and charmed)

You were saying you don't want a

million dollars.

BUBBER:

(blurting)

Well, I'm not entitled to a million

dollars. I... I... didn't expect...

I didn't expect...

GALE:

All the adulation? It makes you

feel like a fake, doesn't it?

BUBBER:

Uh, actually... yes... I... should

never have come forward and

presented myself as --

Just then a distinguished MILLIONAIRE on the way to his table

barks gruffly at BUBBER...

MILLIONAIRE:

You're a credit to the goddamn human

race. Coulda been me in that plane.

Or my family.

BUBBER:

Uh, thank you.

GALE:

Instant celebrity is overwhelming

to anybody. You've known John

Bubber all your life, you're used

to him, you know you're the same

human being you were before all the

excitement. So you feel like a

fraud...

BUBBER:

Yes.

GALE:

...unworthy of the adoration. We

all do.

A bluehaired MATRON, extravagantly bejeweled, pauses to loom

over BUBBER on her way out.

MATRON:

I'm going to donate a half million

to charity in your name. Would

small animals be all right?

BUBBER:

(startled)

Uh, "small animals"?

MATRON:

(delighted)

I knew a man like you would adore

small animals. God bless you,

Mister Bubber.

(to Gale)

And you, my dear, you do so much

for women.

And then she's gone in a swish of silk, leaving BUBBER stunned.

BUBBER:

Is she... serious? A half a million

dollars? In my behalf?

GALE:

You're a celebrity, John. People

are going to want to please you...

or use you... or both.

Bubber hears this, digests it, considers it. He takes a bite

of food, thinking.

EXT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

As the door to the restaurant opens, BUBBER finds himself

blinded by winking electronic flashes and sun guns. A CROWD

OF FANS and MEDIA engulf him and GALE. It's overwhelming. WE

SEE EAGER FACES and BLINDING FLASHES from BUBBER'S P.O.V. and

HEAR the CACOPHONY OF QUESTIONS.

GALE too is adrift in a churning sea of MEDIA and ONLOOKERS.

POLICE OFFICERS move close to help guide GALE and BUBBER to a

waiting limo.

ANGLE ON BUBBER'S P.O.V.

Again we see the chaos from BUBBER'S P.O.V., A POLICEMAN is

reaching to help him. Just then BUBBER glimpses something

else... beyond the CROWD in the fringes... HOMELESS PEOPLE in

the shadows, some applauding him, too shy to come forward. In

particular, BUBBER'S eyes fall on an ungainly MAN, his own age,

dressed in rags and carrying a big garbage bag and another net

sack full of cans. IT'S A STUNNING IMAGE! It's as though

BUBBER is looking at himself!

The door to the limo is open. GALE and several POLICEMEN are

trying to get BUBBER into the limo and out of the clutches of

the enthusiastic CROWD.

GALE:

Come on, John.

But BUBBER isn't paying attention to her. He's turning to face

the eager CROWD, raising his arms.

BUBBER:

Hey, hey, uh, take it easy.

ANGLE ON GALE:

looking alarmed, then amazed.

The CROWD is still alive and buzzing, but they're respecting

BUBBER'S space as he accepts an autograph book from a young

woman, SYLVIA, and speaks shyly.

BUBBER:

You, uh, want me to sign this? Uh,

what's your name?

SYLVIA:

(weak in the knees,

smitten)

S-sylvia.

BUBBER:

(almost shy)

Hey, if I sign this, will you do

me a favor?

Her COMPANIONS are already teasing her as they thrust pieces of

paper, magazines at him to sign.

ANGLE ON GALE:

watching in disbelief.

ANGLE ON BUBBER:

signing one after another as he addresses all those close to

him.

BUBBER:

What I'd like is...

(addressing the group)

-- maybe some of the rest of you

could help Sylvia here -- what I'd

like is if you'd scrounge up some

blankets -- used ones, fifty maybe

-- and take 'em to the folks down

at the corner of Fifth and Grand.

Pass 'em out.

Cameras are rolling, GALE watches, amazed.

FAT KID:

Fifth and Grand!

SKINNY KID:

He means the homeless people. The

bums.

BUBBER:

It gets cold down there at night.

And you'll feel warmer for every

person you give a blanket to.

GALE'S knits her brow, trying to reconcile this performance with

the apparent yokel she had dinner with a short time ago.

INT. LIMO/MOVING - MOMENTS LATER

BUBBER looks back at the CROWD as the limo pulls away.

BUBBER:

I'll bet they do it. I'll bet they

get some blankets.

GALE looks at BUBBER, reevaluating him.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY - LATER - NIGHT

As BUBBER and GALE cross the luxurious lobby, again the center

of attention, a GORGEOUS BLONDE, very leggy, practically

plasters her plunging neckline against BUBBER.

GORGEOUS BLONDE:

Uplifting! What you did was so

uplifting! You're a saint, John

Bubber!

BUBBER has trouble untangling his eyes from her tits.

BUBBER:

Uh, no. But I, uh, wonder if you

could up support... support a

program to help the needy and...

GALE:

(hackles raised)

John, I'm sure she could support

just about anything.

(steering him away)

I think I'll see you to your room.

A sort of bodyguard. Make sure no

harm comes to you.

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