Jerry Maguire Page #18

JERRY:

Don't be silly.

MARCEE:

My husband believes in you. We're

gonna make it. Bye bye Dorothy.

DOROTHY:

Take care you guys.

Tidwells exit. Finally, Dorothy and Jerry are alone. The

Tidwell situation has left an ominious feeling in the air.

DOROTHY:

(continuing)

Look... I was up for a job in San

Diego before I left SMI. It's with

the Chargers.

AIRPLANE WHEELS:

touching down.

JERRY:

Don't even talk about that yet.

I'll find something fast for

Tidwell. We'll stay afloat.

EXT. COMMERCIAL SET/TAYLOR CHEVROLET/ARIZONA -- DAY

Tidwell stands on the set of a regional Arizona car

commercial. It is a hot day. Three other bored, large

Arizona athletes wait by a coffee machine, as Jerry's friend,

director Bill Dooler appears ready to implode. Dooler is

arguing with Tidwell.

_

101.

Maguire stands slightly away, acting as referee. Nearby, a

camel.

DOOLER:

Look, Rod, just get on the camel!

JERRY:

Bill, Rod, wait --

TIDWELL:

Dude, know your art form. If you

put the camera down here, looking

up, I look more powerful. There's

no need for a camel... you got ME.

JERRY:

Rod, get on the camel.

DOOLER:

(shoots look to Jerry)

The sponsor wants a camel --

TIDWELL:

Jerry, back me up. It's either

the camel or me...

Tidwell waves his arms, spooking the camel, who spits and

stormps. Several crew members scatter in various directions.

JERRY:

(takes the bullet)

Airight. Enough. I'm pulling him

out of this. This isn't what I

had in mind anyway.

DOOLER:

Then you shouldn't have begged me

to hire him.

EXT. SET -- LATER

Jerry and Tidwell walk quickly from the set. In the

background, another athlete rides the camel.

TIDWELL:

There you go, dude. You're

learning how to represent me. We

ain't gonna bring Nike to their

knees with some regional camel

ad --

Jerry rubs his face.

_

102.

JERRY:

Can I ask you a question totally

unrelated to your career?

TIDWELL:

Oh, we gonna be friends now?

JERRY:

What do you know about dating a

single mother?

Tidwell warms to the personal question.

TIDWELL:

Oh I know plenty. I was raised by

a single mother.

JERRY:

Tell me, because it's been a

month, and she's about to take

another job in San Diego.

Tidwell is always happy to hold forth.

TIDWELL:

First, single mothers don't

"date." They have been to the

circus, you know what I'm saying?

They have been to the puppet show

and they have seen the strings.

You love her?

JERRY:

How do I know?

TIDWELL:

You know when you know. It makes

you shivver, it eats at your

insides. You know?

JERRY:

No, I don't know.

TIDWELL:

Then you gotta have The Talk.

JERRY:

But I sure don't like that she's

leaving.

TIDWELL:

Well, that ain't fair to her. A

single mother, that's a sacred

thing, man.

_

103.

JERRY:

The kid is amazing.

TIDWELL:

(shaking head)

No. A real man does not shoplift

the "pooty" from a single mom.

JERRY:

I didn't "shoplift the pooty." We

were thrown together and -- I mean

it's two mutual people who --

(a look)

Alright, I shoplifted the pooty.

TIDWELL:

Shame on you. SHAME on you.

INT. ZOO -- DAY

Jerry, Dorothy and Ray at the zoo. Ray straining at Jerry's

arm. Life-changing decisions in the air.

DOROTHY:

They offered me everything I asked

for, it's only 2 hours away. I

think it's good for us.

Jerry feels tugged in many directions, and not just by Ray.

They approach the reptile house.

RAY:

Show me the animal, Jerry!

JERRY:

Right up ahead, buddy --

They approach the Reptile House, where a small crowd is

gathered.

JERRY:

(continuing)

-- I give you my favorite animal

in the zoo. Are you ready for the

weirdness, the strange perfection

and truth of...

RAY:

I'm scared. What is it?

JERRY:

It's in a cage. Do not be scared

of...

A few people peel away, revealing...

_

104.

JERRY:

(continuing)

The Two-Headed Corn Snake.

THE TWO-HEADED CORN SNAKE

A friendly but confused looking reptile. The snake has two

heads, both identical, both twisting and battling each other

for direction. Aw-ed chatter around the animal ranges from

"weird" and "wow" to "mira mira! Dos cabezas!" Few can turn

away.

RAY:

Whoa.

DOROTHY:

(quietly)

Two heads. My God...

Jerry is happy to play tour-guide.

JERRY:

Both heads have brains. Both

heads eat, both heads battle for

direction all day long.

(meaningful)

Man, can I relate.

The odd animal moves forward, fighting itself constantly.

RAY:

Me too.

Dorothy just looks at the two men in her life. She turns to

Anonymous Man standing nearby, staring at the animal.

DOROTHY:

Is this a guy thing?

ANONYMOUS MAN:

It is, and it isn't.

ON THE TWO-HEADED CORN SNAKE

strangely endearing, jittering and moving around the cage.

EXT. DOROTHY'S FRONT YARD -- DAY

A U-Haul is parked in the driveway. Inside the cab, a very

sad Ray. Jerry approaches carefully. Ray does not look at

him. He opens the door, scoots the kid over, and sits next

to him.

_

105.

EXT. DOROTHY'S LIVING ROOM -- DAY

Laurel and Dorothy say goodbye.

LAUREL:

You're doing the right thing. I

mean, come on. You need to start

your life and he... he needs a

warm body to cushion the fall.

Check out exhibit A on the front

lawn --

POV -- THE SISTERS

We see Jerry, following Chad back to the house, saying

goodbye too many times. He's anxious not to be left alone.

Finally Chad grabs him by the shoulders, says goodbye, as a

sad Ray trudges to the cab of the U-Haul. Jerry now follows

Ray to the car.

EXT. DOROTHY'S PLACE -- DAY

Jerry scoots a very sad Ray over, and talks to him in the car.

JERRY:

I'm not good at this.

Ray begins to cry. Jerry is incapable of dealing with it.

JERRY:

(continuing)

I'll see you this weekend, okay?

Promise.

Ray wails. Jerry squeezes his shoulder, it does nothing, so

he exits. He rises and faces Dorothy, keys in hand.

JERRY:

(continuing)

Sure you're okay to drive this?

DOROTHY:

This rig? Phht. No problem.

JERRY:

So I'll see you this weekend.

She accepts it casually, with a shrug.

DOROTHY:

Airight, so goodbye and --

(simple, with shrug)

I love you.

Jerry blinks.

_

106.

JERRY:

(too quick, weirdly)

... I love you too, you know.

She reacts with an odd look. The words don't sound right,

and he knows that she knows.

JERRY:

(continuing)

What --

DOROTHY:

Look, just in case this weekend

becomes next month and next month

becomes... whatever...

(beat)

Don't make a joke of your life.

Go back and read what you wrote.

You're better than the rest of

them, better than the Bob Sugars,

and don't forget it.

He shudders a little with the intimacy of her words. She

kisses him, and moves quickly toward the car, leaving him

alone in frame. He grows increasingly uncomfortable. He

watches her leave.

JERRY:

Wait a second.

ON DOROTHY:

moving to her car. She hears him. It's not loud enough for

her.

JERRY:

WAIT A SECOND!

She stops, smiling very slightly to herself , biting her lip.

She turns and he is now close to her.

JERRY:

(continuing)

I know a way to s... to save on

Medical and rent and... look...

He grips one hand with the other. Dorothy looks at his

strange behavior. He looks over to the cab, where Ray is

making a sad face at him through the window.

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