Jerry Maguire Page #13

JERRY:

(ruefully, to

attendant)

Another drink please.

TIDWELL:

Anybody else would have left you

by now, but I'm sticking with you.

I said I would. And if I got to

ride your ass like Zorro, you're

gonna show me the money.

JERRY:

(the hell that never

ends)

Oh my God.

He looks straight ahead, at the airphone in front of him.

EXT. PORCH -- NIGHT

Dorothy finds Laurel on their small porch. There is only

room for a miniature garden and one comfortable seat. Laurel

sits in it.

DOROTHY:

He's coming over.

LAUREL:

At eleven at night?

_

70.

DOROTHY:

He just lost his best client. He

called from the plane. I invited

the guy over.

LAUREL:

Dotty -- this is not "guy.". This

is a "syndrome." It's called

Early Midlife, About-To-Marry,

Hanging Onto The-Bottom-Rung Dear-

God-Don't-Let-Me-Be-Alone, I'll-

Call-My-Newly Long-suffering-

Assistant-Without Medical-For-

Company Syndrome. And if, knowing

all that, you still allow him to

come over, more power to you.

DOROTHY:

Honey, he's engaged. And for the

first time in my professional

life, I'm a part of something I

believe in.

Dorothy exits. Laurel shakes her head, calls to next room.

LAUREL:

Okay, but he better not be good

looking!

INT. RAY'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT

Dorothy puts Ray to bed.

DOROTHY:

'Night buddy. This is my favorite

part of your head.

She kisses the corner of his forehead, rising up into the

mirror.

She checks her look, in spite of herself. Visible on the wall

above Ray's bed, is her ex-husband's photo. Music.

INT. CAB -- NIGHT

Jerry in back of a cab, wearing sunglasses, three drinks

later, post-flight, rolling with anything.

JERRY:

Okay, turn here! Sharp right

turn. 8831 3/4 Waterloo.

The cab turns onto a very small street. Cars parked on both

sides. Down the street, another pair of headlights.

_

71.

Jerry's cab refuses to give in, in fact he floors it. Same

with the oncoming car.

JERRY:

(continuing)

Yes, good, floor it, kill us!!

EXT. DOROTHY'S FRONT PORCH -- NIGHT

Door opens to reveal Jerry Maguire with brown bag, shoulder

hang-up bag, disheveled hair and sunglasses.

JERRY:

I'm Jerry Maguire.

LAUREL:

(super pleasant)

You seem just the way I pictured

you. I'm her disapproving sister

Laurel.

JERRY:

Honesty. Thank you.

INT. LIVING ROOM

Jerry enters, as Dorothy rounds the corner.

DOROTHY:

Hey you.

JERRY:

Hi.

The lights are low and his glasses are very dark.

JERRY:

(continuing)

Thanks for inviting me over.

Where's the little guy?

DOROTHY:

He's asleep. Watch out for that

lamp.

JERRY:

I'm glad you're home. That

"alone" thing is... not my

specialty...

He ducks the lamp, barely. Laurel exits through his shot,

miming "drinking" behind his back. Jerry takes off his

glasses, revealing a welt and a cut below his eye.

_

72.

DOROTHY:

Oh my God.

JERRY:

Yeah. That too. I broke up with

Avery.

Dorothy's entire body chemistry changes in ways she doesn't

quite understand.

DOROTHY:

Too bad.

JERRY:

Better now than later. We'll

still be friends. I'm dying here.

DOROTHY:

Jesus, it's a real gash, isn't it?

JERRY:

And just think if I got her the

ring she really wanted.

Dorothy laughs. He looks at her strangely. Suddenly she

feels very nervous, as he sets down his bags.

DOROTHY:

Sorry. Uh, let me see, have a

seat. I'll get you some aloe vera

for that cut too.

JERRY:

Do you have something to drink?

DOROTHY:

Sure --

She moves to the kitchen door. She is about to exit, when

Jerry begins to unburden.

JERRY:

My brother works for the White

House. He pretends he's an

intellectual. He pretends he's

from the east coast.

She turns, not quite sure what his point is. She waits

politely for Jerry to finish before exiting into the kitchen.

JERRY:

(continuing)

I was supposed to be the

successful one.

(more)

_

73.

JERRY (cont'd)

But I don't want to talk about it.

And yet! My family. I grew up

with repression as a... a

religion --you don't b*tch. No

moaning! Head down. Do it,

whatever "it" may be. My dad... he

worked for the United Way for 38

years! You know what he said when

he retired? He said, "I wish I'd

had a more comfortable chair." 38

years he sat in it! Do you know

what I'm saying, Dorothy?

Repression as a religion. I'm

almost as old as his chair.

He rubs his face. She looks at him, and the situation

slightly overwhems her. Here he is, wide-open, ripe for the

taking.

DOROTHY:

Beer okay?

JERRY:

Yeah, thanks.

INT. KITCHEN

Laurel smokes a cigarette and blows it out the window.

Dorothy goes for the refrigerator, finds a couple beers.

LAUREL:

I heard.

DOROTHY:

No kidding. I looked over and saw

the shadow of two curious shoes in

the doorway of the kitchen.

LAUREL:

This guy would go home with a

gardening tool right now if it

showed interest.

(off Dorothy's look)

Wait. Use the frosted glasses.

DOROTHY:

(surprised)

Thank you.

LAUREL:

Look, here's some of that chicken

with salsa too, I warmed it up --

_

74.

DOROTHY:

That's the girl I love.

LAUREL:

But you just gotta hear me out on

one thing. You're very

responsible with Ray and you know

it's not right for a little boy to

hear some strange man's voice in

the house.

DOROTHY:

As opposed to twenty angry women?

Dorothy turns quickly and the beer, sisters and chicken

collide in the small kitchen. Dorothy deftly catches the

food in her t-shirt, and dumps it back onto the plate. But

her shirt is now stained. She starts to quietly implode, and

Laurel takes command. They know each other well.

LAUREL:

Come on, let's get you another

top --

They exit to nearby laundry room.

EXT. HOUSE/WINDOW OUTSIDE LAUNDRY ROOM -- NIGHT

Now camera starts to move around the house, from this window

showing the two sisters in the laundry room, to the living

room where Jerry sits alone. We see Ray wander into the room

and stare at Jerry.

INT. LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT

Jerry, who is playing with a kaleidoscope on the table, looks

up to see Ray.

RAY:

Hi.

JERRY:

Hi Ray.

INT. LAUNDRY ROOM -- SAME TIME

LAUREL:

All I'm saying. You don't have

the luxury of falling for some

drowning man. Be practical. Now.

Which top?

She holds up two tops. One is sexier with a dipped down

front. The other is striped, cute, functional.

_

75.

DOROTHY:

Okay, you want to talk about

practical? Let's talk about my

wonderful life. Do you know what

most other women my age are doing

right now? They are partying in

clubs, trying to act stupid,

trying to get a man, trying to

keep a man... not me. I'm trying

to RAISE a man.

She grabs the sexier top, and puts it on.

DOROTHY:

(continuing)

I've got a 24 hour a day reminder

of Roger, for the rest of my life.

I have had three lovers in four

years, all boring, all achingly

self-sufficient all friends of

yours I might add, and all of them

running a distant second to a warm

bath. Look at me, Laurel, look at

me. I'm the oldest 26 year old in

the world! How do I look?

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