Leaving Las Vegas Page #6

Ben pours lighter fluid on to a pile of photographs and then

throws a match on to it. It bursts into flames. He throws

more stuff on and the fire blazes. A curious neighbor watches

from a safe distance, not wanting too get involved.

ANGLE ON THE FIRE

A watercolor, a poem to his wife, photograph of him and his

wife, a Polaroid of a naked woman, his medical records, his

birth and marriage certificates, divorce papers, strips of

photographs from booths, postcards from Hawaii. Two small

children (his?).

ANGLE ON BEN:

Now the flames are high and Ben has to stand back as he

throws things on to the fire ... his camera, an engraved box,

his wife�s �left behind� clothing , a clock...

CUT TO:

48 EXT. BEN�S HOUSE - DAWN

Fifteen neatly tied garbage bags and Ben�s furniture are

stacked up on the sidewalk. Ben comes out of his front door

carrying a racing bike. He walks to the neighbors� house and

places the bike on the porch. We see a label saying �To Brad

from Ben�. He walks to his black car with a small suitcase,

gets in and drives off.

CUT TO:

49 EXT. DESERT LANDSCAPE WITH ROAD - DAY

A high wide shot shows a small black car making its way

across the frame.

DISSOLVE TO:

50 INT. CAR - DAY

Through the window we see a dead straight road stretching to

infinity.

The sunlight is painfully bright. On the soundtrack we hear

one of Ben�s chosen tapes, which continues through into the

next shot.

DISSOLVE TO:

51 EXT. GAS STATION IN THE DESERT - DAY

Ben is filling his car. A towncar drives in and stops next to

the BMW. Three men get out. They look like Russian Mobsters.

Ben nods at them and they nod back.

CUT TO:

52 INT. CAR - NIGHT

Same angle through the window but this time we see Las Vegas

at night as Ben drives down the main drag. An overdose of

neon.

52A EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP - NIGHT

Ahead we see the light changing, but Ben doesn�t notice until

it�s almost to late. The car stops and we see Sera crossing

in front of the car. She gives Ben a look of real attitude

because he is over the line and she has to change course to

cross in front.

CUT TO:

53 EXT. HOTEL FORECOURT - NIGHT

Sera is talking to Yuri. A middle-aged man gets out of a cab

and Yuri shakes him by the hand and introduces him to Sera.

He hands Yuri an envelope and then Sera and he go into the

hotel together. Yuri looks around thoughtfully before getting

into a cab and driving off.

54 INT. DOCTOR�S OFFICE - DAY

Improvised scene.(1)

INT. MOTEL RECEPTION - NIGHT

Ben waits to check in while the manager explains the house

rules to a family of large people from the Midwest.

MANAGER:

All rooms to be paid a week

in advance, maid service is

optional, use of the pool is

at your own risk, there is no

lifeguard on duty.

Above the manager�s head is the name of the motel, The Whole

Year Inn. Ben stares at it and then smiles.

BEN�S POV

The sign has changed to The Hole You�re In.

CUT TO:

56 INT. LIQUOR STORE - NIGHT

Ben has almost filled a trolley with bottles of various

brands. He is whistling and seems happy.

57 INT. DOCTOR�S OFFICE - DAY

Improvised scene.(2)

CUT TO:

58 EXT. THE STRIP - NIGHT

Ben driving. He sees Sera and follows her, then drives up on

the sidewalk. She sees him.

BEN:

Hello!

SERA:

Hello.

BEN:

Are you working?

SERA:

(tough)

Working? What do you mean,

working? I�m walking.

And she walks a few steps to prove it, stopping on the

passenger side of his car. They pause for a moment and Ben is

confused. He is quite taken with her beauty, but this is not

going according to plan. He reaches into the car quickly and

picks an open can of bee, draining it before tossing the

empty back on to the rear seat.

SERA:

Isn�t it illegal to drink and

drive?

BEN:

(laughs)

That�s funny.

(seriously)

I wonder if you�ll take two

hundred and fifty dollars to

f*** me?

Sera doesn�t say anything.

BEN:

That is, if you�ll come to my

room for an hour, I will give

you five hundred dollars.

SERA:

Maybe you shouldn�t stand in

the road like that. You�re

pretty drunk.

He bites his lips as he waits for her to respond.

SERA:

(softer)

You�re pretty drunk.

BEN:

(factual)

Not really. My room�s not

far. The Whole Year Inn. You

can drive with me if you

want...

She makes no response.

BEN:

... or we can walk... or I�ll

give you cab fare.

Takes out his money.

BEN:

Whatever you want.

She touches the door handle.

SERA:

Why don�t you give me the

money when I�m in the car,

and I�ll drive you.

It takes a moment or two to register that she is saying yes.

He comes around the car to open the door for her.

BEN:

I�m Ben.

They shake hands.

SERA:

I�m Sera.

She gets in. Ben gets in.

CUT TO:

59 INT. CAR - NIGHT

Ben hands her the money.

BEN:

Sarah - with an H?

SERA:

No - S.E.R.A.

They grin at each other.

SERA:

You wanna start the engine?

They drive off.

60 EXT. MOTEL PARKING LOT - NIGHT

They sit in the car for a while before speaking.

SERA:

I�m sort of curious... if

you�re willing to pay me two-

fifty... not that I mind... I

mean, I�m OK with that - why

aren�t you staying in a

hotel?

BEN:

We can go to one if you�d

prefer.

SERA:

No, this is fine. I was just

wondering.

Ben switches off the engine but makes no move to get out of

the car.

BEN:

Well... I�m here because I�m a

drunk who tends to pass out

at odd hours for

unpredictable stretches. I�m

going to a hotel soon. A room

with a balcony to pass out

on... or off.

He falls silent.

SERA:

Umm. We can stay in the car

for an hour if you want. But

I really have to go then.

It�s your time.

BEN:

Right, I�ll get your door. I

tend to fade in and out

lately.

SERA:

I guess I do too.

BEN:

You what?

SERA:

I sometimes fade out.

BEN:

Oh... well, maybe we better

synchronize our spells... or

stagger them.

SERA:

(gently)

You were going to get my

door.

He gets out and she waits for him to open the door. She gets

out and he offers her his arm. She takes it and they walk

into the motel.

CUT TO:

61 INT. BEN�S ROOM - NIGHT

As Ben closes the door. Sera surveys the room.

SERA:

(amused)

What this room needs... is

more booze.

SERA�S POV

There are bottles everywhere. Ben has gone to a lot of troble

to lay them out in a pleasing way.

BEN:

Do you think so?

She turns and looks at him, appraising him. Suddenly she�s

all business, in control, and Ben likes it.

SERA:

Mind if I use the bathroom?

BEN:

Of course.

She goes into the bathroom.

BEN:

Want a drink? I�m having one.

SERA (off-screen)

A shot of tequila, if you can

spare it.

BEN:

Of course.

Ben smiles, happier than we�ve ever seen him. He gets her

order ready and then he takes a big swig from a bourbon

bottle. He sits on the edge of the bed.

The bathroom door opens and Sera comes in wearing a black bra

and panties. She�s acting the hooker now, tough and sexy.

SERA:

For two-fifty we can do

pretty much what you want.

You�ve been drinking, so it

might be better if I got on

top, but the other way�s fine

too. I have some jelly in

case you want to f*** my ass,

that�s up to you. If you want

to come in my face, that�s OK

too, just try to keep it out

of my hair, I just washed

it... and my eyes, it stings.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes