Nashville Page #4

TRIPLETTE:

I'm sorry. I feel as if I know you.

I'm John Triplette... a friend of

Del Reese... I was at the airport.

I just wanted to introduce myself.

I'm a great fan of hers. If there's

anything you need, just give me a

call. I'm at the Sheraton South.

BARNETT:

She's going to rest now.

TRIPLETTE:

Okay, I just wanted to see if I

could help out at all.

The crowd is almost out of the room now. We see GLENN there as he

steps into the hallway.

BARNETT:

I appreciate your concern, but she

has to rest, so you can go on home.

TRIPLETTE:

Oh, sure.

He stands there too long.

BARNETT:

What do you really want?

TRIPLETTE:

Not a thing, Barnett, really. I

need a little information. But, ah,

it can wait.

BARNETT:

You bet.

TRIPLETTE:

Okay. Thanks.

BARNETT says "you bet" again and closes the door after TRIPLETTE.

BARNETT returns to the bed with BARBARA JEAN and the DOCTOR.

DOCTOR:

Well, it's exhaustion, pure and

simple, and you're going to have to

take a rest or you're going to be in

big trouble.

BARNETT:

She has to be at the opera tomorrow

night and then she can go home.

DOCTOR:

She's not going anywhere, Barnett.

This is precisely what I'm talking

about. She is collapsing. She

cannot go on without a rest or she

will have to stop altogether for a

long time.

BARBARA JEAN:

Well, I have to go: It's too late

to be replaced, and, besides, I just

can't do that. Those people get

disappointed. They've come in from

all over, you know, and this Miss

Foxy who's been writing to me for

years is going to be there from

Michigan.

DOCTOR:

You cannot leave this bed until I

say so. The two of you have to

understand that. Barnett, you've

got to stop this dovetailing and

give her some rest. You don't need

to make that much more money.

BARNETT:

It's not the money. The friends

and neighbors love her and they want

to see her. We got a debt to the

public.

DOCTOR:

Well, they are not going to see her

tomorrow night, and I suggest you

get on the phone and make the

necessary arrangements.

CUT TO:

48 INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR

A few of the people still remain, among them GLENN, who has just

finished another postcard. Near BARBARA JEANS' hospital room in

MRS. GREEN'S. GREEN is visiting her now and LA. JOAN waits in

the hall, smoking a cigarette. BUD is talking with a few people.

L.A. JOAN brings out a new cigarette and asks GLENN for a 1ight.

He doesn't have one, so she moves to BUD. She scares him, but he

lights her fresh cigarette anyway. She asks him for a ride, and

they leave together as GREEN comes out. GREEN begins to look for

L.A. JOAN.

CUT TO:

49 EXT. DEMON'S DEN - NIGHT

TRICYCLE MAN parks in front. He enters.

50 INT. DEMON'S DEN - NIGHT

SUELEEN is auditioning. The TRICYCLE MAN goes to the bar and

listens. He is one of the few people who do. SUELEEN directs

her performance to him.

Also at the bar is TOM, being interviewed by OPAL.

TOM:

We just got a gold record.

OPAL:

Do they have a show to give it to

you?

TOM:

No Hell, some secretary in New

York just hands it to you. Only

this one kept dropping it out of the

box.

OPAL:

Did it break?

TOM:

Dent it a little. Boy -- just she

couldn1t even find it. She had a

hamburger on her desk that looked

three weeks old.

OPAL:

How long have you been together?

TOM:

Probably a little too long.

OPAL:

Do you study at all?

TOM:

Depends on what I'm studying.

STAR is down at the end, drinking alone and looking for

ALBUQUERQUE. The phone rings and the MANAGER answers it.

INTERCUT WITH:

51 INT. LINNEA'S HOUSE - NIGHT

Establish the REESES' relationship with their children. DELBERT

speaks to TRIPLETTE

MANAGER:

When do you need her?

DELBERT:

Monday night.

MANAGER:

You want her to sing, too?

Sueleen has finished her song and eavesdrops blatantly.

SUELEEN:

I can do benefits

MANAGER:

(into phone)

How much?

DELBERT:

Twenty dollars for her and ten for

you.

The MANAGER keeps looking at SUELEEN

MANAGZR:

Well, do you want a blonde?

DELBERT:

How does she look?

MANAGER:

You know... blonde.

DELBERT:

Okay, I'll get you your money.

Both hang up the telephones.

52 INT. DEMON'S DEN

The MANAGER carefully looks at SUELEEM.

MANAGER:

I can only give you fifty a week

here and ten bucks for the benefit.

SUELEEN:

Money's no object.

She kisses his cheek. He hates it. He writes on a piece of

paper.

MANAGER:

You go here Monday night and be

there at eight sharp and look flashy

you know what I mean?

She nods "yes" and takes the paper.

MANAGER:

Are you sure you know what you're

doing?

SUELEEN:

Hundreds of times.

MANAGER:

Well, there's a couple of girls in

Printers Alley if you got any

questions. I know I've seen that G-

string stuff for sale someplace

around.

SUELEEN:

Don't you worry about Sueleen Gay.

She isn't convincing.

MANAGER:

That's for sure. At the airport -

that's where it was. At the

airport, there in one of those gift

shops... Anyway, you better take a

break.

SUELEEN:

Thanks. You are just a wonderful

person.

53 ANOTHER ANGLE

ALBUQUERQUE enters. STAR sees her and chases her outside.

54 EXT. DEMON'S DEN

STAR hits the pavement, but there is no sign or ALBUQUERQUE. He

stands there as BUD and L.A. JOAN enter.

55 INT. DEMON'S DEN - NIGHT

BUD and L.A. JOAN go to the bar as SUELEEN sings another song.

TOM has moved away from OPAL to the telephone.

56 INT. LINNEA'S HOUSE - NIGHT

DELBERT, TRIPLETTE, LINNEA and the kids are eating. The phone

rings. LINNEA answers it.

INTERCUT:

LINNEA:

Hello.

TOM:

Linnea?

LINNEA:

Yes. Who's this?

TOM:

I'm here.

LINNEA:

Who is this?

TOM:

Tom. You remember?

LINNEA:

(concealing her

laughter)

I'm not sure. Where?

TOM:

Remember, about a month ago, your

church choir cut a record?

LINNEA:

Yes.

TOM:

Well, I met you that afternoon in

the control room and we...

LINNEA:

Oh, Tom, of course. What are you

doing in Nashville?

T0M

Cutting a record.

Pauses.

TOM:

I'd really like to see you.

LINNEA:

Or course. You should come over to

the house. The boys would love to

meet you.

TOM:

(laughs)

That's not quite what I had in

mind.

She tries not to hear what he's saying.

LINNEA:

Well...How have you been?

TOM:

Well, they removed my heart last

week, but I'm doing fine except my

nose fell off. Looks a little

funny.

She laughs.

TOM:

Look, I find you attractive and I

want to see you, so I'll call you

when I get to my place.

He hangs up the phone. LINNEA looks at the dinner table and

DELBERT and the kids.

57 INT. DEMON'S DEN - NIGHT

TOM moves back to the bar and OPAL. L.A. JOAN has found the

TRICYCLE MAN more interesting than BUD and slides close to him.

BUD takes the opportunity to sneak out.

CUT TO:

58 INT. NASHVILLE LOUNGE - NIGHT

NORMAN is on stage doing his routine, a series of imitations and

jokes, with help from Bluegrass pickers, who introduce him to the

audience. BILL and MARY are in the audience, watching NORMAN.

At another table sit BARNETT, TOMMY BROWN, PEARL, HAVEN

negotiating a deal and watching NORMAN as a potential warm-up

act. They think he stinks

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