Leaving Las Vegas Page #9

BEN:

Interesting choice of words.

I don�t remember. I just know

that I want to.

SERA:

Want to kill yourself? Are

you saying that you�re

drinking as a way to kill

yourself?

And she leans across the table to be close to him, listening

intently. Ben becomes uncomfortable and tries to joke it off.

BEN:

Or killing myself as a way to

drink.

Sera continues to stare at him, wanting to know the real

answer. He takes a slug from his drink. She sits back.

BEN:

We�ll talk about it some

other time maybe. OK?

Sera relaxes and continues with her food. We hear her

thoughts for a moment.

SERA (v.o)

It wasn�t so important to me.

I mean, he never asked me why

I was a hooker, sand that was

impressive. I really liked

him. So I decided to just

play my part. I mean... it�s

good to help someone once in

a while., it�s a bonus to

being alive, and that was my

plan... to stay alive. I

suddenly came to a decision.

BEN:

What are you thinking? Are

you angry with me?

SERA:

(decides something)

Ben, why don�t you stay at my

place tonight? I mean... look,

you�re so drunk. I like you.

I trust you.

BEN:

That�s astonishing. Sera,

look...

SERA:

I hate to think of you in

that cheesy motel. I mean...

And she folds her arms and grins at him.

SERA:

Let�s face it, what the f***

are you doing in Las Vegas?

BEN:

(overwhelmed by her)

I�m going to move to a smart

hotel, tomorrow if it�ll make

you feel better.

(looks at her)

Let�s talk about tomorrow.

Wanna do something?

SERA:

(warmly)

Sure... tonight. Then please

stay at my place.

BEN:

Sera... you know I�m not much

good in the sack.

SERA:

It�s not about sex, Ben. I�ll

make you up a bed on the

sofa. Do it for me. We can

talk till late and then sleep

till late. As you know, I am

my own boss.

Ben laughs loud, the most animated we�ve seen him, and his

laugh as infectious, and Sera join in. Other diners turn to

stare at them. They seem like a couple.

CUT TO:

81 EXT. THE STRIP - NIGHT

Ben and Sera walk and talk, holding hands.

82 EXT. DESERT - DAY

A wide shot. The black towncar makes its way across frame.

Left to right.

CUT TO:

83 INT. SERA�S house - day

Ben is asleep on the sofa. As he wakes up, he becomes aware

that Sera is watching him from across the room. They smile at

each other.

BEN:

How long have I been her?

SERA:

Three nights, two days. When

is your rent coming up at the

motel?

BEN:

I don�t know.

(sits up)

I�ll go and sort it out

today. Why don�t you

come?... We�ll find a real

room for me. You can pick it

out, a tower on the strip.

SERA:

There�s no reason to blow all

your money on a hotel room.

BEN:

What do you mean?

SERA:

What I mean is that you

should bring your stuff over

here. We�re spending all this

time together... what the

f***!

BEN:

Sera...

SERA:

Let�s face it, Ben, we�re

having fun here. I�ve never

done so much talking in my

life.

BEN:

Me neither.

SERA:

So! Let�s dispense with the

formalities. I want you

here... now!

BEN:

Sera you are crazy.

SERA:

So... I�m not too concerned

with long term plans.

BEN:

Don�t you think you�ll get a

little bored living with a

drunk?

SERA:

That is what I want. Why

don�t you go and get your

stuff?

BEN:

You haven�t seen the worst of

it. These last few days I�ve

been very controlled. I knock

things over... I throw up all

the time.

(looks at her)

Now I feel really

good... You�re like some kind

of antidote that mixes the

liquor and keeps me in

balance, but that won�t last

forever. You�ll get tired of

it really quickly. Believe

me.

They sit in silence for a while.

SERA:

OK, you go back to your hotel

and I�ll go back to my

glamorous life of being

alone.

She walks out of the room, and into the bathroom, where she

sits on the toilet to pee.

SERA:

(to herself)

The only thing I have to come

home to is a bottle of

Listerine to wash the taste

of come out of my mouth. I�m

tired of being alone... that�s

what I�m tired of.

She finishes, wipes herself and flushes the toilet. Pulling

up her panties, she walks back into the bedroom, where Ben is

putting on his shoes.

SERA:

Don�t you like me, Ben?

BEN:

(devastated)

Don�t be silly?

Ben is unable to deal with the fact that he is absolutely in

love with her. He walks out of the room. She foolows.

SERA:

We gotta decide this... right

now. Before we go any

further. You either stay here

with me or...

Ben turns to look at her.

SERA:

...we can�t see each other

any more.

Ben and Sera look at each other for a long time.

BEN:

Sera... what you don�t

understand is...

SERA:

What?

Ben is deeply troubled. He comes to a decision.

BEN:

You can never... never... ask

me to stop drinking. Do you

understand?

SERA:

(dead serious)

I do. I really do.

(smiles)

OK. I have to do some

shopping alone. You go out

for a few drinks and then

pick up your things. Don�t

hurry and I�ll be back before

you to let you in.

Sera grabs him in a big embrace that knocks him off balance

and into the wall. She kisses him all over his face and

squeezes his skinny frame.

CUT TO:

84 INT. BEN�S ROOM AT THE MOTEL - DAY

Ben is packing his liquor into his suitcase. The almost-empty

bottles he pours into a large cup, which he drinks from. The

suitcase is now full and Ben suddenly realizes that he hasn�t

packed any clothes. They are all in a pile on the bed. He

talks to himself.

BEN:

Maybe this isn�t a good idea

after all.

He tries to put clothes in with the bottles, but the lid

won�t close. He sits on the bed and has an imaginary

conversation with Sera.

BEN:

Listen, angel... the thing is

that I�m nuts about you and

this is a bad thing... because

my real plan is to die here

and you were never even part

of my plan... but like I said,

I�m nuts about you... wait a

minute, I have an idea,

angel.

And he opens the closet and finds some plastic laundry bags,

which he puts his clothes in.

85 SCENE CUT.

CUT TO:

86 EXT. SERA�S HOUSE - DAY

Sera�s neighbors, a husband and wife, are standing outside

her house. They stop her. They are also her landlord.

HUSBAND:

We didn�t know whether to

call the police or not.

And they indicate the sleeping figure of Ben, in the doorway,

clutching a bottle of bourbon, using hi suitcase as a pillow.

WIFE:

He�s been there for about

half an hour. My husband

thought he�d seen you two

together, but I thought it

best to wait until you got

home.

SERA:

Yes, he�s my friend. I guess

he just had a little too much

to drink.

(smiling uncomfortably)

I�ll help him inside.

(puts down her packages)

Thanks for the concern. Sorry

to trouble you.

HUSBAND:

(gallantly)

Well, call me if there�s

anything I can do.

They go to their own house. Sera opens the front door, kneels

down next to Ben and shakes him gently.

SERA:

Can you wake up?

Ben opens his eyes and looks around with a pleasant, cheerful

expression.

BEN:

Hi!

SERA:

Why don�t you go in and sit

down. I have some gifts for

you.

BEN:

Right... OK...

Ben stands and almost loses his balance. He picks up his

suitcase and attempts to pick up her packages as well, but

she stop him.

SERA:

Don�t worry... I got�em.

Ben staggers in with his case. As Sera enters, she looks

around and sees Husband and Wife at the window, still

watching.

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