Nashville Page #11

GREEN:

I'm fine. Can I go up?

NURSE:

Let me see if I can get the doctor

hold on one second.

She makes several phone calls and can't locate anyone. She sighs

and hangs up.

GREEN:

You want me to wait?

NURSE:

No. Mr. Green, I don't know how to

tell you this -- your wire passed

away -- I thought they'd called you

at home.

GREEN has and hasn't heard.

GREEN:

What?

NURSE:

(louder)

Your wire Ester - she passed away.

He is stunned.

NURSE:

If you'll wait Just a minute I'll

get everything from the business

office.

146B ANOTHER ANGLE

He wanders to the waiting area. GLENN has been looking out the

window at BARBARA JEAN getting into the bus. He comes back and

begins to talk to GREEN so caught up in her he doesn't register

GREEN'S grief.

GLENN:

(loudly)

My mamma used to know her... They

lived next door to each other... she

said she was always nursing the sick

animals.

GREEN looks at him and nods. He's still got the vitamins in his

hand.

GLENN:

I really learned all about her from

my Momma -- She's been saving this

scrap book about her since she got

to be famous.

GREEN nods.

GLENN:

The one thing she said to me when I

joined was "When you're doing your

travels you be sure you see Barbara

Jean. You don't have to say

anything about me but you be sure

you see her." So that's what I've

been doing. Now I'm going to hitch

a ride so I can see her in Memphis.

GREEN nods.

GLENN:

You give my test to your wife1

GREEN nods and puts the vitamins in his pocket as the NURSE calls

from the desk.

NURSE:

Mr. Green, the doctor is on his way

and the business office has your

bill ready.

CUT TO:

147 INT. LINNEA'S HOUSE - AFTERNOON

The PHONE RINGS SEVERAL TIMES before LINNEA answers it.

LINNEA:

Hello.

148 INT. PHONE BOOTH

INTERCUT:

TOM:

Wow!

LINNEA:

What?

TOM:

Who is this, right? I called you

last night.

LINNEA:

Oh.

TOM:

I've got a gig tonight.

LINNEA:

Oh?

TOM:

End of Church Street. Next to a

grocery store.

LINNEA:

Doesn't it have a name?

TOM:

I can't remember. In out/out in,

something like that. Around eight.

149 INT. LINNEA'S HOUSE

Again she is left with a dead receiver.

150 INT. PHONE BOOTH

TOM exits. Behind him is Percy Warner Park and the Parthenon.

L.A. JOAN is with TOM.

CUT TO:

151 INT. HALL - NIGHT

SUELEEN works her way through a crowd of men trying to get into

the banquet hall. There is a sign that says "Benefit Banquet."

SUELEEN finally makes it through the crowd and enters the room.

152 INT. BANQUET EALL - MIGHT

She walks past the tables and steps on the stage. She checks the

curtain to find that there is no backstage. She enters the

kitchen.

153 INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

SUELEEN almost trips over REESE and TRIPLETTE and another man who

are talking.

SUELEEN:

Hi, I'm Sueleen Gay.

TRIPLETTE:

I'm John Triplette. Excuse me. I

got all caught up in looking at you.

You'll be fine.

SUELEEN:

Oh, why thank you.

TRIPLETTE:

May I see your costume?

She removes her coat and exposes a costume that looks like a

picture of a frosty glass or gin and tonic on a hot day.

TIRIPLETTE stares blatantly and REESE can hardly keep his hands

off her. SUELEEN starts into her routine as a matter of

survival.

SUELEEN:

You like it? Listen, where is the

pianist? I need to go over this

with him.

She hands over a stack of music.

SUELEEN:

You all didn't say what you wanted

to hear.

TRIPLETTE smiles.

SUELEEN:

Someday I'm gonna be a star like

Barbara Jean.

TRIPLETTE puts his arm around her and walks off.

154 NEW ANGLE

TRIPLETTE:

Sueleen, you're prettier and

probably sing better. Besides, she

is unusually sick. And tonight you

have the opportunity to work in

front of some grateful gentlemen.

They continue to walk past the many places.

TRIPLETTE:

Have you ever done this before?

She shakes her head, "no" quite caught up in air.

TRIPLETTE:

Well, it's not too hard. You'll

sing whatever it is you want to

sing. They'll applaud like crazy

'cause I can tell them that you're

really something and then the piano

and drum will give you a little

fanfare and you can sing and take

off your clothes or not sing. It

really doesn't make much difference,

really. But since you've never done

this before, singing might help.

They are near three enormous beef legs waiting to go into the

oven.

TRIPLETTE:

Now this is to raise funds for

someone who can help people who are

less fortunate than yourself. The

more you take off, you see, more

money we can raise.

SUELEEN:

(like a robot)

I see.

TRIPLETTE:

I know that you are an artist and I

am sure you are very religious.

She nods "yes."

TRIPLETTE:

Well, this is for people who have a

kind of religious belief in the way

they live.

155 NEW ANGLE

The waiters come in to serve the salad and the rolls and the chef

starts to carve the meat. We FOLLOW one of the waiters into the

banquet hall.

156 INT. BANQUET HALL - NIGHT

It is almost full. The pianist and the drummer are on the non-

stage. At the far end of the roam, we SEE someone enter from the

street, go to the sign and read it.

157 NEW ANGLE - DOORWAY AND CORRIDOR

It is ALBUQUERQUE reading "banquet." The door to the room closes

and she goes down another corridor and disappears.

158 INT. BANQUET ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT

The men have finished their dinner and SUELEEN finishes her song.

The applause is thunderous. SUELEEN looks to the kitchen door.

159 ANGLE AT KITCHEN DOOR

TRIPLETTE is applauding like crazy. REESE in beside him.

160 ANGLE AT SUELEEN

She blows kisses then runs to TRIPLETTE.

SUELEEN:

Don't you think they'd just love

another song instead?

TRIPLETTE:

Now, Sueleen, you know that's not

what we talked about right here in

this very room.

It's too late. The ANNOUNCER speaks.

ANNOUNCER:

We're ready to striiippppp... for

cash, gentlemen. The time has come

to dig deep. Our little Sueleen in

going to dig deep for you.

There are a few chortles. Suddenly she freezes. TRIPLETTE holds

her and kisses her hair.

Page missing

165 NEW ANGLE

TRIPLETTE encases her in her coat. TRIPLETTE yells something

about bringing her clothes as the audience goes crazy.

166 NEW ANGLE

ALBUQUERQUE is totally fascinated and delighted, applauding to

the point of almost giving herself away. She picks up SUELEEN'S

clothes.

CUT TO:

167 INT. CAR - NEAR DEMOW'S DEN - NIGHT

REESE drives SUSLEEN home. He is drunk. He double-parks.

REESE:

Here we are, Sueleen.

She looks out the window and nods. He gets out and opens the

door as LADY PEARL walks past them on her way to the lounge.

STAR drives up behind REESE'S double-parked ear and has to move

around it. SUELEEN starts for her room, but REESE follows very

close. Finally, he turns her around.

REESE:

Sueleen... Sueleen Gay.

His look says what he wants. She is terrified.

SUELEEN:

Oh, no.

She starts to walk quickly, but he grabs her arm.

REESE:

Wait a minute! I want to look at

you. C'mon.

SUELEEN:

Oh, please, Oh, God.

He pushes her against one or the storefronts.

REESE:

C'mon! I Just wanna look...

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