Midnight Cowboy Page #10

RATSO:

I'm inviting you. I mean if you're

not located, I got a place. I'm

inviting you, goddamit.

JOE:

You inviting shee-it.

EXT. TENEMENT STREET - DAY

A contractor's sign announces LUXURY APARTMENTS AVAILABLE in

high-rise co-op, under construction beyond a raw of tenements

with X's taped on the windows. Ratso's voice continues over

the click-clack-click of Joe's boots and the flip-flap-squeak

of Ratso's loafers as camera moves toward a condemned

building.

RATSO'S VOICE

The X on the window means the

landlord can't collect rent --

which is a convenience, hey? -- on

account of it's condemned.

INT. TENEMENT STAIRS - DAY

Footsteps climb past rubbish piled outside empty flats.

RATSO'S VOICE

The electric's off. Another

convenience.

I don't mess with Con Edison, hey?

What the hell, I got candles,

right?

INT. X FLAT - DAY

Light from the X window shines on a Florida tourist poster as

Ratso leads Joe into an abandoned tub-in-kitchen flat, barely

furnished with a table and chair, a rumple of blankets on a

burnt-out mattress.

RATSO:

I got no heat, but by that time,

you know, cold weather, hey, I'll

be in Florida. Stretch out. Make

yourself comfortable. You hungry?

I'll put up some water for coffee.

Ratso fills a saucepan from the tub-sink, sets it on a Sterno

stove. Joe sits himself on the mattress-bed, pretending to

test it, weeks of exhaustion and tension overwhelming him

suddenly, his only immediate problem being the effort to

restrain a large, comfortable yawn.

JOE:

Comfortable, kee-rist, I slept on

subways softer than this.

Joe stretches himself, yawning, his eyelids drooping heavily.

The sounds of the city recede. Joe's love theme plays softly

on a distant radio. Joe's eyes close momentarily in spite of

him elf.

INT. REMEMBERED CAR - ANOTHER TIME

A vintage dashboard, radio dial glowing, Anastasia's face.

ANASTASIA:

Love me, Joe?

EXT. DEMOLITION SITE - DAY

A huge metal ball arcs on chain, demolishing a brick facade.

INT. X FLAT - DAY

Ratso's face seems to radiate evil as he lights a Sterno can.

Joe forces his eyes half-open.

JOE:

Smart thing for me to do is haul

ass outta here.

RATSO:

Whatsa matter now?

Joe shivers, pulls a blanket around him, resisting sleep, but

the noises of demolition fade, the love theme lures Joe back.

JOE:

You don't seem like no fag...

RATSO:

What's that supposed to mean?

Joe's eyes close, his voice continuing out of half-sleep.

JOE:

Want me to stay here, y'after something. What y'after?

INT. REMEMBERED CAR - NIGHT

Joe's thumbnail flares a match, exposing Anastasia on the car

seat with Joe, both nearly naked. Anastasia butterfly-kisses

Joe's chest as he lights a cigarette.

ANASTASIA:

Say you love me. Just say it.

JOE:

Okay. I love you.

Anastasia purrs as her lips find Joe's breast, trying to

nurse. A flashlight flares suddenly through the car window.

NIGHTMARE - MULTIPLE SPLIT SCREEN

Low angle Ratso bending over Joe, into camera...

... Sally Buck shocked, hand still on switch...

... Joe blinded by halation...

... Anastasia's mouth screaming soundlessly...

... flashlights multiplying on car window...

Full frame -- Anastasia catatonic in hospital gown -- a

woman's voice "What'd he do to you, Annie?"...

... gang-bang ratpack surrounding car with flashlights...

... Jackie shrieking "He loves her he loves her"...

... hands closing on Joe's buttocks...

... hand closing on Joe's naked left foot...

... hand on naked right foot...

... dentist leaning over Joe's mouth...

... hands pulling Joe's legs apart...

Zoom close-up -- Anastasia screaming soundlessly...

... thermometer under Little Joe's tongue...

... Sally Buck shoves chocolate in her mouth...

... bewigged poodle licks her fingers...

... Sally Buck hangs enema can on bedpost...

... Ratso leads ratpack chasing naked Anastasia...

... corona of flashlights...

Anastasia screaming soundlessly -- flashlight shoved into her

mouth -- electronic rock blasting...

... blank-eyed go-go girl in dance hall window...

... Joe held naked by ratpack...

... Ratso breaking beer bottle on Everett's bar...

... dwarf laughing on television...

... Ratso aims broken bottle at Joe's crotch...

... shooting gallery cowboys riddle Joe's pelvis...

Anastasia catatonic in courtroom -- between gaunt parents -

whining singsong "Raped her raped her Joe Buck raped her"...

... Fat Boy's mouth finds Joe's breast, tries to nurse...

... Sally Buck kisses him open-mouthed...

... slug crawls up Joe's stomach, trailing mucus...

... Cass's poodle laps at his toes...

... butterflies settle on his eyes...

Anastasia catatonic in courtroom between parents -- who are

now O'Daniel and Sally Buck...

... drawling voice "evidence of repeated violations"...

... Bill Bonner in flag-cloth judge's robe...

... police advancing, swinging night sticks...

... Joe running into Times Square, suddenly naked...

... Anastasia sitting in all-night cafeteria...

... freaky child running toy mouse over her naked body...

Siren screaming -- Anastasia staring catatonic from rear

window of ambulance...

... ambulance racing away...

... Joe chasing naked after ambulance...

... running into the arms of the police...

... Ratso laughing as police beat Joe...

INT. X FLAT - NIGHT

Joe awakens in a cold sweat, fighting the blankets, wild-eyed

as he sees Ratso at the table, examining Joe's radio by

candle-light. Joe lunges across the room to snatch the radio

from Ratso's hands.

RATSO:

For crissake!

Still wild-eyed, Joe suddenly points at his stocking feet.

JOE:

Where's my boots -- ?

EXT. TIMES SQUARE - DAY

Joe facing the crowd, naked except for his boots.

INT. X FLAT - NIGHT

Ratso points to the boots on the floor by the mattress.

JOB:

How'd they get off me?

RATSO:

I took 'em off.

JOE:

What for?

RATSO:

So you could sleep! I mean Christ!

Joe inspects the boots, seats himself on a battered Army cot

- which has been added while he slept -- swinging a boot by

its strap, considering whether to stay or go.

RATSO (CONT'D)

I drug in a cot, if you want to

stay.

JOE:

Well now, Ratso, I'm gonna tell you

something for your own good, only

first gimme a cigarette.

Ratso offers a cigarette from his crushed package, Joe

strikes a match on his thumbnail and lights up, staring at

Ratso.

JOE (CONT'D)

You want me to stay here tonight,

is that the idea?

RATSO:

I ain't forcing you, like, I mean,

who's forcing you?

JOE:

Oh. Guess I got the wrong

impression.

Joe makes a slow move to pull on one boot.

RATSO:

I want you to stay, okay? I goddam

invited you, didn't I?

JOE:

Well, I hope you know what you're

in for. I'm a very dangerous

person. Someone does me bad like

you. If I caught up with you that

night, there'd be one dead Ratso

long about now. Hear?

RATSO:

I'm impressed. You're a killer.

JOE:

So if you want me to hang around

for a few days, I thought you

should know.

Joe yawns, picks up a few blankets and spreads them on the

cot. He puzzles out the faded printing on one blanket.

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