Nurse Betty Page #18

BETTY:

Did you love it?

ELLEN:

Sure I loved it! It was great.

Ellen rinses a few glasses as she talks to Betty.

ELLEN (CONT'D)

Let me tell you something. I got groped

by these Tunisian guys who thought I was

a slut for wearing shorts, it was hotter

than stink the whole time, and I got some

kind of weird gum disease from the water.

Plus, it ended my marriage--

BETTY:

That's horrible!

ELLEN:

No, he was a toad. Even more of a toad

than Merle... I just wear the ring to

keep the flies away. Rome was the best

thing I ever did, because I DID IT! And

I swear to you, it changed me. I've been

to Rome, Italy! I sat every morning at

the Cafe Sistina and had my cappuccino,

and watched the pilgrims walk to mass,

and no one can ever take that away from

me.

Betty leans across the bar conspiratorially. She looks at

Merle to make sure he won't hear her.

BETTY:

I left my husband two days ago.

ELLEN:

Really?

58.

BETTY:

I'm getting back with my ex-fianc. He

proposed to me right around here, so I

guess this is just sort of a sentimental

stop...

ELLEN:

Wait, I thought you said you'd never been

outta Kansas...

BETTY:

Oh. I mean, except for that.

(BEAT)

Yep. I'm trading in a car dealer for a

heart specialist, so that's pretty

good...

ELLEN:

Nice move. Cedars Sinai?

BETTY:

No. Loma Vista.

ELLEN:

(laughs)

I s'pose his name's David Ravell.

BETTY:

(truly shocked)

How did you know?

ELLEN:

What's his real name?

BETTY:

Dr. David Ravell.

ELLEN:

You mean... George McCord, the actor?

BETTY:

No, I mean David Ravell. He's a surgeon.

Ellen looks at Betty.

ELLEN:

Yeah, I know, we just watched him

together, remember? Up there on the TV.

(off Betty's earnest look)

Good God Almighty ... You're serious.

I've heard about people like you.

Ellen whistles, wipes the bar down to buy a few seconds.

Merle looks over at Betty, then catches Ellen's eye.

59.

ELLEN (CONT'D)

Piss off, Merle.

(to Betty)

So how you gonna find him, Betty?

BETTY:

I'll go to the Hospital.

ELLEN:

What if you can't find him? What if you

get out there, and nothing's the way you

thought it was gonna be?

BETTY:

Like Rome?

ELLEN:

Worse.

BETTY:

You made out alright.

ELLEN:

Yeah, but at least I knew Rome was gonna

be there when I arrived...

Ellen walks to the end of the bar and starts rinsing glasses.

After a beat, Betty gets up and moves down close to her.

BETTY:

Ellen, this is the biggest thing I've

ever done, but I've gotta do it.

ELLEN:

You take care of yourself then, Betty,

and don't let anybody stop you...

BETTY:

To tell you the truth, I can't believe

I've made it this far. It may not be

Europe, but I just know there's something

special out there for me...

Ellen looks into Betty's eyes - sees the innocence, the hope

and enthusiasm - and has to look away. Betty takes it as her

cue to leave. She smiles, puts two dollars on the bar near

the phone and leaves. Ellen stands perfectly still, watching

the door.

MERLE:

What planet is she from?

60.

73 INT. BETTY'S LESABRE - GRAND CANYON - MOVING - DAY 73

Betty approaches the GRAND CANYON, driving slowly along the

South Rim, searching for a specific spot. Finally, she pulls

over abruptly. This is it. We can tell by the joy in her

expression.

74 EXT. GRAND CANYON - DAY 74

Betty walks to the rail and gazes out at the canyon. Turning

her head slowly, as if expecting it, she sees DAVID RAVELL

leaning on the rail about twenty feet away, clutching a

bouquet of roses.

Betty starts toward him... he starts toward her... A magic

moment... Shattered when a black sedan appears, inching its

way along. She freezes. David vanishes, and ...

An ELDERLY MAN helps his wife out of the car and snaps her

picture in front of the canyon. Betty moves away.

75 INT. LINCOLN TOWN CAR - KANSAS - MOVING - NIGHT 75

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