Nurse Betty Page #6

BETTY:

Just knock it off, 'kay? Anyhow, they're

97's, they're not even new.

DEL:

They're new to us...

Truce for a moment. Del plucks a copy of Soap Opera Guide

from Betty's purse while absently taking a bite from Betty's

cupcake. He narrowly misses the candle.

DEL (cont'd)

Jesus... you know these actors are mainly

models, which are mainly fags. They've

done studies. The rest're a**holes. But

you know what bugs me most about these

soaps?

She silently mimics him as he says...

DEL (cont'd)

It's people with no lives watching other

people's fake lives.

BETTY:

Yeah, I guess there's nothing like

watching those tenpins fall, huh, Del?

DEL:

That is a skill!

Del lurches to his feet and crosses to the bird cages as the

canaries CHIRP and SING EXCITEDLY at his approach.

DEL (cont'd)

Daddy's here, babies... daddy's here.

(to Betty)

Be back later... clean up.

He exits. She collects his dirty dishes, puts them in the

sink and starts to wash them. Then she stops.

BETTY:

What the hell am I doing?

She drops the dishes with a clatter, pours herself a glass of

wine, lights the candle on her deflowered cupcake and opens

the one card on the table.

CLOSE ON:

18.

a traditional greeting from her grandparents. Red hearts and

lace. A color photo of them enclosed.

Betty smiles at this. After moment, she quietly sings a

quick refrain of "Happy Birthday" to herself.

18 INT. LONNIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT (ON TV SCREEN) 18

Standing wrapped only in a towel, Lonnie speaks into the

phone.

LONNIE:

Tell me something good, Sugar.

19 INT. CHLOE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT (ON TV SCREEN) 19

The beautiful nurse Chloe is curled up seductively on her

sofa with her phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

CHLOE:

We're all set. I told him my car's in

the shop. He said he'd be happy to give

me a ride home.

LONNIE:

(V.O.)

You're beautiful.

CHLOE:

Tell me something I don't know...

Betty hits FAST FORWARD. Characters flit on and off the

screen at top speed until David Ravell appears.

20 INT. WOODED ROADSIDE - NIGHT (ON TV SCREEN) 20

Chloe's magnificent legs are folded into the seat of David's

560 SL. She struggles with her seatbelt, so he helps her.

She makes sure their hands touch.

CHLOE:

Thanks for pulling over, David... I can't

go that fast without taking a breather.

DAVID:

Sorry... it's nice to see what this

little beauty can do, though. I guess,

somehow, all that speed helps me forget

the past...

19.

CHLOE:

I'm sure it does...

(touching the seats)

Mmm, leather. How far do they recline?

David smiles, a little uncomfortable.

CHLOE (cont'd)

Listen, David, I know I've said it

before, but I want to tell you again how

sorry I am about your wife.

(BEAT)

It must make you scared to get close to

someone again.

She puts her hand over his on the gear shift. A moment.

Finally, he has to move her fingers to start the car.

CHLOE (cont'd)

Let's not go... not yet.

BETTY sits on an old couch in the den and watches, eyes glued

to the screen. Suddenly, she hears the sound of TIRES ON

GRAVEL. HEADLIGHTS sweep across the window.

BETTY:

Damn!

She hits PAUSE and crosses to look out.

21 EXT. BETTY'S HOUSE - NIGHT 21

Del gets out of a black Lincoln Town Car, followed by CHARLIE

and WESLEY - the guys in the team jackets from the diner.

Charlie is 63 years old. He wears a dress shirt, slacks and

docksiders. The suburban father look.

Wesley is 28. He's in jeans, T-shirt and white Reeboks. Clean

cut; the kid who used to mow your parents' lawn.

Betty quickly snaps out the light and closes the door until

it is open only a crack.

22 INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - NIGHT 22

Del swaggers into the house. The two men follow politely.

DEL:

... you can have the best damn running

backs in the world, somebody's still

gotta block for 'em.

20.

CHARLIE:

You're a hundred percent right. They

rely on what's-his-name's arm too much...

Del stops and looks around, deflated by the mess.

The den is only a short flight of steps from the living room

and the kitchen. Betty has a clean view of both from where

she sits on the couch.

23 INT. BETTY'S HOUSE - DEN - NIGHT 23

She hears Del come in, but doesn't take her eyes off the TV

screen.

DEL (O.S.)

My apologies, gentlemen. I asked my wife

to straighten this sh*t up before she

went out.

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