Notting Hill Page #2

WILLIAM:

Well, ideally, when I went back to

the desk, you'd remove the Cadogan

guide to Bali from your trousers, and

either wipe it and put it back, or

buy it. See you in a sec.

He returns to his desk. In the monitor we just glimpse, as does

William, the book coming out of the trousers and put back on the

shelves. The thief drifts out towards the door. Anna, who has

observed all this, is looking at a blue book on the counter.

WILLIAM:

Sorry about that...

ANNA:

No, that's fine. I was going to

steal one myself but now I've changed

my mind. Signed by the author, I see.

WILLIAM:

Yes, we couldn't stop him. If you

can find an unsigned copy, it's

worth an absolute fortune.

She smiles. Suddenly the thief is there.

THIEF:

Excuse me.

ANNA:

Yes.

THIEF:

Can I have your autograph?

ANNA:

What's your name?

THIEF:

Rufus.

She signs his scruffy piece of paper. He tries to read it.

THIEF:

What does it say?

ANNA:

Well, that's the signature -- and

above, it says 'Dear Rufus -- you

belong in jail.'

THIEF:

Nice one. Would you like my phone

number?

ANNA:

Tempting but... no, thank you.

Thief leaves.

ANNA:

I think I will try this one.

She hands William a ?20 note and the book he said was rubbish.

He talks as he handles the transaction.

WILLIAM:

Oh -- right -- on second thoughts

maybe it wasn't that bad. Actually

-- it's a sort of masterpiece really.

None of those childish kebab

stories you get in so many travel

books these days. And I'll throw in

one of these for free.

He drops in one of the signed books.

WILLIAM:

Very useful for lighting fires,

wrapping fish, that sort of things.

She looks at him with a slight smile.

ANNA:

Thanks.

And leaves. She's out of his life forever. William is a little

dazed. Seconds later Martin comes back in.

MARTIN:

Cappuccino as ordered.

WILLIAM:

Thanks. I don't think you'll believe

who was just in here.

MARTIN:

Who? Someone famous?

But William's innate natural English discretion takes over.

WILLIAM:

No. No-one -- no-one.

They set about drinking their coffees.

MARTIN:

Would be exciting if someone famous

did come into the shop though,

wouldn't it? Do you know -- this is

pretty incredible actually -- I once

saw Ringo Starr. Or at least I think

it was Ringo. It might have been

that broke from 'Fiddler On The Roof,'

Toppy.

WILLIAM:

Topol.

MARTIN:

That's right -- Topol.

WILLIAM:

But Ringo Starr doesn't look

anything like Topol.

MARTIN:

No, well... he was quite a long way

away.

WILLIAM:

So it could have been neither of them?

MARTIN:

I suppose so.

WILLIAM:

Right. It's not a classic anecdotes,

is it?

MARTIN:

Not classic, no.

Martin shakes his head. William drains his cappuccino.

WILLIAM:

Right -- want another one?

MARTIN:

Yes. No, wait -- let's go crazy --

I'll have an orange juice.

EXT. PORTOBELLO ROAD - DAY

William sets off.

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

William collects his juice in a coffee shop on Westbourne Park

Road.

EXT. PORTOBELLO ROAD - DAY

William swings out of the little shop -- he turns the corner of

Portobello Road and bumps straight into Anna. The orange

juice, in its foam cup, flies. It soaks Anna.

ANNA:

Oh Jesus.

WILLIAM:

Here, let me help.

He grabs some paper napkins and starts to clean it off -- getting

far too near her breasts in the panic of it...

ANNA:

What are you doing?!

He jumps back.

WILLIAM:

Nothing, nothing... Look, I live just

over the street -- you could get

cleaned up.

ANNA:

No thank you. I need to get my car

back.

WILLIAM:

I also have a phone. I'm confident

that in five minutes we can have you

spick and span and back on the street

again... in the non-prostitute sense

obviously.

In his diffident way, he is confident, despite her being

genuinely annoyed. She turns and looks at him.

ANNA:

Okay. So what does 'just over the

street' mean -- give it to me in yards.

WILLIAM:

Eighteen yards. That's my house

there.

He doesn't lie -- it is eighteen yards away. She looks down.

She looks up at him.

INT. WILLIAM'S HOUSE - CORRIDOR - DAY

They enter. She carries a few stylish bags.

WILLIAM:

Come on in. I'll just...

William runs in further -- it's a mess. He kicks some old shoes

under the stairs, bins an unfinished pizza and hides a plate of

breakfast in a cupboard. She enters the kitchen.

WILLIAM:

It's not that tidy, I fear.

And he guides her up the stairs, after taking the bag of books

from her...

WILLIAM:

The bathroom is right at the top of

the stairs and there's a phone on the

desk up there.

She heads upstairs.

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

William is tidying up frantically. Then he hears Anna's feet on

the stairs. She walks down, wearing a short, sparkling black

top beneath her leather jacket. With her trainers still on. He

is dazzled by the sight of her.

WILLIAM:

Would you like a cup of tea before

you go?

ANNA:

No thanks.

WILLIAM:

Coffee?

ANNA:

No.

WILLIAM:

Orange juice -- probably not.

He moves to his very empty fridge -- and offers its only contents.

WILLIAM:

Something else cold -- coke, water,

some disgusting sugary drink

pretending to have something to do

with fruits of the forest?

ANNA:

Really, no.

WILLIAM:

Would you like something to nibble --

apricots, soaked in honey -- quite

why, no one knows -- because it stops

them tasting of apricots, and makes

them taste like honey, and if you

wanted honey, you'd just buy honey,

instead of apricots, but nevertheless

-- there we go -- yours if you want

them.

ANNA:

No.

WILLIAM:

Do you always say 'no' to everything?

Pause. She looks at him deep.

ANNA:

No.

(pause)

I better be going. Thanks for your

help.

WILLIAM:

You're welcome and, may I also say...

heavenly.

It has taken a lot to get this out loud. He is not a smooth-

talking man.

WILLIAM:

Take my one chance to say it. After

you've read that terrible book,

you're certainly not going to be

coming back to the shop.

She smiles. She's cool.

ANNA:

Thank you.

WILLIAM:

Yes. Well. My pleasure.

He guides her towards the door.

WILLIAM:

Nice to meet you. Surreal but nice.

In a slightly awkward moment, he shows her out the door. He

closes the door and shakes his head in wonder. Then...

WILLIAM:

'Surreal but nice.' What was I

thinking?

... He shakes his head again in horror and wanders back along

the corridor in silence. There's a knock on the door. He moves

back, casually...

WILLIAM:

Coming.

He opens the door. It's her.

WILLIAM:

Oh hi. Forget something?

ANNA:

I forgot my bag.

WILLIAM:

Oh right.

He shoots into the kitchen and picks up the forgotten shopping

bag. Then returns and hands it to her.

WILLIAM:

Here we go.

ANNA:

Thanks. Well...

They stand in that corridor -- in that small space. Second time

saying goodbye. A strange feeling of intimacy. She leans

forward and she kisses him. Total silence. A real sense of the

strangeness of those lips, those famous lips on his. They part.

WILLIAM:

I apologize for the 'surreal but nice'

comment. Disaster...

ANNA:

Don't worry about it. I thought the

apricot and honey business was the

real lowpoint.

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