Leaving Las Vegas Page #11

SERA:

Well - I was prepared for

worse, but it wasn�t so bad.

We were sitting at the bar,

talking about blackjack. You

seemed just fine, a little

drunker than usual, but

nothing really strange, but

then your head started to

droop and I put my arm on

your shoulder and then, wham,

you swung you arm at me, and

fell backwards off your stool

into a cocktail waitress. You

smashed everything on her

tray, it was a real mess. You

kept yelling and yelling.

BEN:

Oh, and what did you do?

SERA:

I tried to shut you up and

help you to your feet but you

kept swinging at me - not

like you wanted to hit me,

but more just waving me away.

Security came and when you

saw them you stopped yelling.

They wanted to carry you out

and dump you on the street,

but I talked them into

letting me walk you out.

BEN:

That�s impressive. How did

you do that?

SERA:

I told them you were an

alcoholic and T would take

you home. I also promised

that we would never come in

there again.

BEN:

We?

SEAR:

Yes, we.

BEN:

(holds her hand)

What happened then?

SERA:

You were OK for a while, so

we walked for about a block

and then you said you wanted

to go home and f***, but I

think even you knew that

wasn�t going to happen. We

got a cab and you asked him

to stop at a liquor store,

even though I told you that

we had plenty at home. In the

store you gave the kid a

hundred and told him to keep

the change. I asked you if

you knew it was a hundred.

You said you did, so I let

you do it. We got here, you

fell asleep on the couch and

I covered you up and came to

bed.

BEN:

I warned you...

(kisses her hand)

...but I�m sorry.

SERA:

Here�s my speech...

(kisses his hand)

...I know this shouldn�t be

acceptable to m, but it is.

Don�t ask me why. I sense

that your trouble is very

big... and I�m scared for

you... and so I�m doing what I

think you need me to do.

Falling down in casinos is

little stuff. It doesn�t

bother me. It has nothing to

do with us.

BEN:

That�s amazing. What are you?

Some sort of angel visiting

me from one of my drunk

fantasies? How can you be so

good?

She turns away to the wall and curls up like a small girl.

SERA:

I don�t know what you�re

saying. I�m just using you. I

need you. Can we not talk

about it any more, please.

Not another word.

He thinks about this. He gently pushes her until she is lying

on her front and then he pulls up her nightdress and strokes

her naked back. He kisses her in the small of her back.

BEN:

Why don�t you go back to

sleep. I�ll go out and buy us

some breakfast.

SERA:

Be careful.

He stands and goes to the door.

BEN:

Don�t worry.

As he leaves the room, she calls after him.

SERA:

Ben, I�m working tonight.

He opens the door and smiles at her.

BEN:

I know.

CUT TO:

92 EXT. SIDEWALK - EARLY MORNING

Ben gets out of his cab and walks up to the doorway of a

grocery store. It is locked. Ben looks at his wrist and then

remembers that he no longer has a watch. He looks around,

sees something and exits frame.

CUT TO:

93 INT. ROUGH ENGLISH BAR - EARLY MORNING

Ben enters and makes his way to the bar. This is a dirty,

dark place. An ageing blonde in leather hot pants is dancing

by herself at the jukebox. A very drunk Biker Couple argue

noisily in a corner, slurring their words. There ins not much

gambling taking place at the eight slot machines. Ben sits at

the bar and the Bartender slaps down a paper napkin.

BEN:

A beer and a double kamikaze

please.

BARTENDER:

Sure thing. Anything to eat?

BEN:

Not quite yet. First I have

to drink myself sober,

then... a few crackers, maybe

an egg and toast...

The Bartender walks away to get Ben�s drinks, Ben continues

anyway.

BEN:

...then I�ll go home with the

groceries and we�ll have

breakfast together, and

that�ll make her feel better

about my condition...

Ben is interrupted by the arrival of the Biker Girl. She is

young tough and pretty. She puts an arm around him and

presses against him.

BIKER GIRL:

Who the f*** are you talking

to, Mr?

(laughing)

Why are you all dressed up,

honey? My, don�t you look

fine.

She runs her tongue around her mouth.

BIKER GIRL:

I am very bored with my date.

Would you like to buy me a

drink?

Ben looks around and sees the Biker staring at the two of

them.

BEN:

(loudly)

Do you mind if I buy her a

drink?

BIKER:

F*** her. I don�t care what

the f*** you do with her.

BEN:

Maybe I could buy you both a

drink?

BIKER:

F*** you. Don�t f*** with me,

motherf***er. F*** off. Go to

it, she�s waiting for her

drink.

The Biker walks over to the slot machine and begins dropping

in quarters, never taking his eyes off Ben and the Girl.

BIKER GIRL:

See what an a**hole he is.

(big smile)

I�ll have a rum and Coke.

BEN:

Barman? A rum and Coke,

please.

The Girl leans with her back to the bar, closer to Ben , who

is facing the bar on a stool. She brings her face closer to

his.

BIKER GIRL:

Can I stay with you for a

while?

BEN:

You mean move in with me?

Isn�t this a bit sudden?

BIKER GIRL:

Oh, I don�t have a lot of

stuff.

BEN:

(smiling)

I don�t think my wife would

dig it too much.

She moves to his ear to whisper.

BIKER GIRL:

Maybe we could just go find a

room and f*** all day. You

wouldn�t have to tell your

wife about that, would you? I

could suck you like this.

And she begins sucking on his lobe. Behind them. At the slot

machine the Biker is still watching. His face fills with a

drunken rage.

BEN:

See, the thing is... f***ing

you would be wonderful, but I

am deeply in love with

Sera...

The Biker throws down his beer can and walks towards the bar.

BEN:

...and it�s almost impossible

for me to imagine being with

someone else...

The Biker arrives at the bar and grabs Ben.

BIKER:

Now listen, a**hole, I�m not

gonna just sit around and

watch her suck on your ear.

The Biker is about to hit Ben then holds back. He leans in

and puts his face next to Ben�s.

BIKER:

Now, I know that she came

over to you, like she does,

so I�m gonna pretend that

you�re innocent and give you

one chance to walk out of

this place... right now.

BIKER GIRL:

(to biker)

Get lost, jerk.

The Biker slaps her and then grabs Ben by the collar.

BIKER:

What do you say?

Ben shakes his arm free from the Biker�s grip. He thinks

about it for a couple of beats and then decides.

BEN:

I�m sorry... but she and I

have decided to spend a few

hours together in a mo -

The Biker headbutts Ben in the face, sending him crashing off

his stool to the floor. His head cracks against the tiled

floor. The Biker walks over to him, picks him up by his shirt

front and punches him in the nose. Blood sprays on to his

face. The Biker walks out of the bar. The Girl follows him

quickly. The Bartender takes a wet towel and walks over to

where Ben is struggling to get up, holding his face.

BARTENDER:

You�re quite a fighter.

He gives him the towel.

BARTENDER:

This may sound silly, but I�m

going to have to ask you to

leave. It�s what we do around

here when there�s a fight.

Men�s room is around the

back.

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