Jerry Maguire Page #10

RAY:

(giggling)

I'm not your brother!

Dorothy continues, business on her mind.

DOROTHY:

... I put Tidwell on the same

floor at the Marriott Marquis. I

think it's great you're taking him

to the draft. He doesn't smoke,

right? I have no idea.

_

52.

JERRY:

I have no idea.

(continuing to Ray)

So Ray, if there's an accident or

something, it goes pwoooooooof --

(simulates air-bag)

-- and you go booooong. And

you're safe.

Jerry bounces against the imaginary balloon. Ray is

delighted by Jerry. Dorothy notes that he's great with her

son. She pats Jerry on the shoulder. Her hand lingers

perhaps a millisecond too long. She pulls away quickly,

always feeling on the edge or embarrassing herself around

this guy.

DOROTHY:

Okay, have we gone over

everything? Back on Tuesday, right?

JERRY:

Yep. Have a good time at school,

Ray. Wish me luck.

DOROTHY RAY:

Luck.LUCK!

Jerry nods and exits. They watch as Jerry inches into the

crowded airport. Into frame, obscuring their view of Jerry,

enters another Couple, who embrace each other and their small

girl. It's a genuinely sweet goodbye, and we linger on

Dorothy and Ray who both watch with private fantasies of the

goodbye they didn't get. Mother and son look at each other,

communicating volumes. They pull back into traffic.

INT. DALLAS AIRPORT -- DAY

Jerry struggles through the Dallas airport, is the last, of

his party to arrive at the B gate in Dallas. Avery, tall and

cool in plaid skirt and shades, is in combat mode. Nearby,

Cush is surrounded by fans and fawning Airline Employees.

("Where do you think you're gonna end up, Cush?" "You gonna

be rich, dude!") Tidwell looks jealous and ingnored as he

leans against the airline counter, unnoticed. A lone kid

approaches Tidwell.

KID:

Are you Hootie?

TIDWELL:

(irritated)

No man, I'm not Hootie.

Kid leaves disappointed. Tidwell sinks lower. Doesn't anyone

know his stardom, his essence, his power?

_

53.

BOARDING ANNOUNCEMENT

All those disabled, and Frank

Cushman can board now...

INT. AIRPLANE -- DAY

Jerry sits next to Cushman, who is reading Bukowski's Notes

of a Dirty Old Man. Across the aisle is Tidwell, who sits

next to Avery. They are a small family, and Jerry feels at

home with his operation. Cush looks up suddenly.

CUSH:

(a big thought)

Jerry. Why does God sometimes

reward the evil and punish the

good?

Jerry shares a look with Avery, who is on the other side of

Cush. Her stockings swish as she crosses her legs.

JERRY:

Let me think about that. Want

something to drink?

CUSH:

(thoughtful pause)

I see what you're saying.

JERRY:

Wait. What do you mean?

The two men have now totally confused each other. Tidwell

leans across the aisle to Cush, attempting comraderie.

TIDWELL:

Hey man, I wish I had a

quarterback like you in Arizona.

You're the sh*t.

Cush looks up. Compliments blow off him like a summer breeze.

CUSH:

Thank ya.

Tidwell waits for a compliment of his own, but Cush doesn't

offer one. He returns to the book. Tidwell feels slighted.

TIDWELL:

(loud mumble)

Well you ain't that mothafuckin

good.

CUSH:

Say what?

_

54.

TIDWELL:

I said -- last I heard, Jesus

Christ was still in heaven. And

you ain't even played in the NFL.

Cush throws his book away, ready for anything, as Tidwell

rises. Nearby passengers begin to panic.

JERRY:

This can't be happening to me.

AVERY:

Jerry! Do something --

Jerry throws himself in front of Cushman.

JERRY:

HEY. Knock it off. What are you,

five years old? Am I taking the

kids to Chuck E. Cheese here? Grow

up, both of you! We are a family.

And we go to the draft in an

ORDERLY FASHION.

Beat. Jerry wonders if he's pushed his mealtickets around too

much.

TIDWELL:

Hey, man, I dig Check E. Cheese.

CUSH:

Me too, dude. Especially that big

old singin' Elvis Monkey. That's

just insanity, man.

TIDWELL:

Heard that.

Tidwell reaches over, he and Cush exchange a fingertips five.

Briefly, the two clients bond. Past Tidwell, Avery smiles

engagingly at Jerry. He handled the situation well. She

crosses her legs, stockings swishing. The workplace excites

her.

EXT. MARRIOTT MARQUIS -- NIGHT

The headquarters for the NFL draft is buzzing with activity.

Limo doors open and out pours Maguire and company. Media

lights flick on, bathing Cush. Reporters chatter. ("Is it

San Diego or Denver, Cush?N "Cush!") Fans at the outskirts

are calling out to the young star ("Go get the big chi-ching,

Cush!") Avery smoothly pulls ESPN into the front position.

Telegenic Cush shrugs and smiles. ("I'll either surf or

ski.") Jerry admires his fiancee. There is nothing more

attractive than a person burningly efficient at their job.

_

55.

Shot drifts off this media bubble to find Tidwell watching at

the outskirts. He turns and exits unnoticed.

INT. GIFT SHOP -- NIGHT -- LATER

Tidwell hides out in the gift shop, thumbing through

magazines. The chip on his shoulder grows by the minute.

Elsewhere in the gift shop, he sees the very real and

emotional scene of a young athlete and his mother. Both wear

self-promoting colorful homemade t-shirts with the young

athlete's face on it. Something about them, their pure

enthusiasm, rubs Tidwell in an odd way. He almost cries, for

himself, for humanity, as Jerry enters. Tidwell is

embarrassed to have been caught in this misty state.

JERRY:

At last I find you.

TIDWELL:

(sharply)

Why the f*** am I here? I feel

like I'm five years late for the

Prom.

In a look, Jerry sizes up the situation. With a hand on

Tidwell's large shoulder, he smoothly pumps up the big man's

ego.

JERRY:

Come on. Come with me. We're

going to take a walk through this

lobby. I want every media guy,

every player rep, everybody to see

you for what you are. The best-

kept secret in the NFL. The

biggest wide-receiver in the game.

Let 'em see ya, Rod. And Whatever

you do, don't sit down. Let 'em

see how big you are. You ready?

Let's do it.

He is privately thrilled, but offers only:

TIDWELL:

(begrudgingly)

A'right. Let's walk.

We hear the ripping guitar explosion of The Who's "Magic Bus"

from Live at Leeds.

_

56.

INT. MARRIOTT LOBBY -- NIGHT

Maguire and Tidwell move through the brightly-lit lobby, past

the reporters, the competing agents, the team

representatives, the already blasted Jets fans, past even a

Nike crew filming an NFL spot in the lobby. Portable phones

everywhere, in every hand.

There is a heavy white media light bathing everything -- as

if life had become a t.v. show, and everything within it

concerned making other t.v. shows. Jerry works hard,

introduces Tidwell around. And Tidwell is natural, polite and

charming, as they move through the pre-draft crowd. He does

not sit down. Music continues.

INT. MARRIOTT BAR -- DAY

Tough red-headed beat reporter PATRICIA LOGAN watches Maguire

and Tidwell from the opposite corner.

PATRICIA:

Dennis, try not to laugh. Jerry

Maguire brought Rod Tidwell to the

draft...

INT. ARIZONA CARDINALS WAR ROOM PHOENIX) -- NIGHT

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