Nurse Betty Page #17

Merle SLAMS his hand down on the bar, scaring her.

MERLE:

ARE YOU DEAF?!!

It's 3:
01. ELLEN DRABER, 40's, appears behind the bar, looks

at the clock and takes the remote from Merle. She changes

the channel to "A Reason to Love" as the opening titles end.

Betty can't believe it. Merle smiles at her wickedly.

MERLE (cont'd)

Please keep it down, it's time for "A

Reason to Love..."

54.

BETTY:

That's real funny. Why don't you have

another drink?

ELLEN:

What's the matter here?

BETTY:

I begged him to let me put that on!

ELLEN:

He's a prick. Merle?... You're a prick.

MERLE grunts in reply. Ellen turns back to Betty.

ELLEN (CONT'D)

So you're into "Reason," too? Finally,

someone civilized! I'm Ellen, what can I

get you?

BETTY:

Hi, I'm Betty. I'll take a Miller, if

you got it...

67 INT. CHLOE'S APARTMENT - DAY (ON TV SCREEN) 67

Chloe paces in front of her white sofa, a matching white

telephone in her hand. She looks worried.

ELLEN (O.S.)

What's that b*tch up to now?

We hear the BEEP TONE of an answering machine.

CHLOE:

Lonnie? It's Chloe. We need to talk ...

I don't think I can go through with this.

She hangs up. The camera stays on her for a melodramatic

beat of introspection as we GO TO COMMERCIAL.

68 INT. CANYON RANCH BAR - RETURN TO BAR 68

BETTY:

Do you have a phone?

Ellen swings a phone up onto the bar.

ELLEN:

If it's long distance you can leave me a

buck when you're done.

Betty dials ...

55.

BETTY:

Sue Ann? It's Betty. I just wanted to

let you know I'm okay ... Huh? I'm at

the Canyon Ranch Bar in ...

(looks at Ellen)

MERLE:

Phoenix...

ELLEN:

Shut up, Merle... Williams.

BETTY:

Williams, Arizona. About halfway there,

I guess.

69 INT. SUE ANN'S HOUSE - DAY 69

Sue Ann is in her kitchen, ignoring the pleas of all three

children.

SUE ANN:

Halfway where? You've gotta come home.

We've been worried sick about you. Are

you alright?

BETTY (V.O.)

Sue Ann, I thought you of all people

would back me up on this, you know what

Del's like. How did he take my note?

SUE ANN:

Betty, honey, listen to me. A man came

by from Mutual Life Insurance. He says

you've got money comin' to you from Del's

policy.

(BEAT)

Del's life insurance policy-- Are you

with me?

BETTY (V.O.)

What are you talking about?

70 INT. CANYON RANCH BAR - DAY 70

"A REASON TO LOVE" comes back on the TV.

BETTY:

Tell Del I'm sorry. I left so quick, but

I need to do this.

SUE ANN (V.O.)

Do what?

56.

BETTY:

I gotta go.

SUE ANN (V.O.)

Betty! Listen to me! Del is ...

Betty hangs up.

71 INT. COCKTAIL LOUNGE - NIGHT (ON TV SCREEN) 71

David is at a bar staring into his drink. Lonnie is with him.

LONNIE:

How you holding up, amigo?

DAVID:

I just wish I knew why she's doing it.

LONNIE:

Yeah. Women are an unsolved mystery.

ELLEN (O.S.)

If that little weasel ever walked in here

I wouldn't serve him.

BETTY (O.S.)

I'd slap his face.

ELLEN (O.S.)

I'd kick him in the nuts, if I thought he

had any.

DISSOLVE TO:

72 INT. CANYON RANCH BAR - LATER 72

There are two empty beer bottles in front of Betty. The THEME

MUSIC and CLOSING CREDITS of "A Reason to Love" are playing.

Betty pushes the phone back across the bar.

ELLEN:

Where you headed, Betty?

BETTY:

Los Angeles, California.

ELLEN:

And you called your friend, and she's

telling you not to go?

(Betty nods)

When I went to Europe my friends told me

I was crazy.

57.

BETTY:

Europe? The Europe?

(laughs)

This is my first time out of Kansas.

ELLEN:

I should call you Dorothy.

(BEAT)

When I left here I went straight to

Italy. Everybody told me not to go. But

I wanted to go to Rome ever since I saw

Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday," and

goddamnit, I went.

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