Phone Booth Page #3

VOICE:

It's not in your best interests to

hang up on me. That would make me

angry.

STU:

Isn't that just too bad?

VOICE:

For you.

STU:

There's ten million names in the

phonebook. Pester somebody else.

VOICE:

I never talk to people I can't see.

I need to study their reactions.

STU:

Alright, bullshit artist, what am

I doing right now?

VOICE:

Scratching your forehead with your

left hand. Now you're brushing

your hair back.

STU:

Okay, okay, you got me in your

scrutiny. So what?

VOICE:

So let's talk.

STU:

Only I got nothing to say.

VOICE:

Oh, you will. You'll do a lot of

talking before this conversation is

over. And it'll only end when I

want it to.

STU:

Is that a fact? Well if you watch

closely, you will see me hang up.

VOICE:

I don't think you will.

STU:

Why not?

VOICE:

I interest you.

STU:

Why should I be interested in some

creep who gets his jollies spying

on strangers in phone booths?

VOICE:

But you're not a stranger, Stu.

The sound of his own name sends a chill through him.

STU:

Who put you up to this?

VOICE:

You were my very own selection.

STU:

Why me in particular?

VOICE:

Because you're so afraid.

STU:

Ha! What've I got to be afraid of?

STU:

Just about everything. You have so

much to hide.

STU:

How do you figure that?

VOICE:

Why else would a man with a

perfectly good cellular bother to

make calls from a pay booth?

STU:

That's my business.

VOICE:

I've made it mine.

STU:

All of a sudden I'm required to

give explanations to you?

VOICE:

In explicit detail.

STU:

What is this? Some kind of candid

camera gag? Or like that thing on

HBO where the cab driver is taping

what goes on in the back seat?

VOICE:

This is not showbusiness, my

friend. This is reality.

STU:

Your reality. Not mine, you

lowlife f***.

VOICE:

Stu, you'll be made to suffer for

your attitude, so let's dispense

with the vulgarities.

STU:

Now you're threatening me! F***

you. Could that be any clearer?

VOICE:

You're only making it easier for me

to do you harm.

STU:

Oh yeah. Right. Can you see how

I'm trembling?

VOICE:

You will be.

STU:

Sh*t, this is a new one. F***ing

threatening calls in a goddam phone

booth. When are you going to start

with the heavy breathing.

VOICE:

I'm not the degenerate. You are,

Stu.

STU:

You don't know anything about me.

VOICE:

Infinitely more than you know about

me.

STU:

Like what?

VOICE:

Like the number you dialed when you

first entered the booth.

STU:

How would you know that?

VOICE:

I'm watching through a scope and I

could clearly read the buttons you

pushed. I have another extension

here by the window. Shall I dial

that same number back for you?

Would that convince you?

Stu nervously cranes his neck, looking around at all the tall

buildings that surround the street corner.

STU'S POV

PANNING up at thousands of windows. The Voice could be

coming from anywhere.

BACK TO STU IN THE BOOTH

VOICE:

Let's see who's on the other end of

the line.

STU:

Don't.

VOICE:

Too late.

(beat)

It's already ringing. I'll hold

the receiver up so you can listen

in.

Stu can hear the beeping as the other line rings.

Then Mavis' voice can be heard answering. Stu listens

helplessly.

MAVIS' VOICE

Hello?

VOICE:

Well, hello.

MAVIS' VOICE

Who is this?

VOICE:

Someone who's really tight with

your boyfriend -- who just called

you from his favorite phone booth.

MAVIS' VOICE

You know Stu?

VOICE:

Stu? Oh, I know him better than

anyone. What he does -- how he

thinks. How he lies.

MAVIS' VOICE

Who the hell is this?

VOICE:

Stu is listening in. He knows what

we're both saying.

MAVIS' VOICE

Stu? Is that true? Are you there?

VOICE:

He doesn't feel like talking.

STU:

(shouts)

Mavis! Just hang up the goddam

phone.

VOICE:

She can't hear you, Stu. Only me.

(a pause)

Mavis, I'm afraid Stu hasn't been

totally honest with you. But then

he can't be honest with anyone, can

he?

MAVIS' VOICE

What's your name? To whom am I

speaking?

VOICE:

You've never heard of me, Mavis.

He doesn't want you to know I

exist. He wishes I didn't exist.

But there isn't anything he can do

about that.

(beat)

Still there, Stu? All you can do

is listen.

STU:

Mavis -- the guy is a f***ing

nutcase! Hang the f*** up.

VOICE:

She doesn't want to. She wants to

know all about us. Don't you,

Mavis?

MAVIS' VOICE

Did his wife put you up to this?

That b*tch, Kelly?

VOICE:

Oh yes, the b*tch wife, Kelly. My

very next call.

STU:

(yells)

He doesn't know my wife! Don't

tell him anything else.

Outside the booth, a huge, heavy-set black woman in a too

tight dress, now appears with the clear desire to use the

phone. Her name is FELICIA. She taps on the glass.

FELICIA:

Could you hurry it along?

Stu ignores her and Felicia glares at him through the glass

with hostility.

Stu has no inclination to deal with anybody else. He's too

distracted by the madness happening over the telephone.

STU:

Can you hear me, Mavis? Keep your

big mouth shut.

VOICE:

Is that any way to talk to a woman

you love?

(beat)

Mavis, is he always that abusive to

you?

MAVIS' VOICE

You're getting me all upset. I

don't know who you are or how you

know all this --

VOICE:

I find out things -- from watching

people and listening to them.

MAVIS' VOICE

Just what is your relationship to

Stu? That's all I want to know.

VOICE:

Well, what do you think?

MAVIS' VOICE

Answer me, goddam it!

VOICE:

Well alright. Stu and I are --

longtime companions. A pair. Two

of a kind. Closer than close.

Peas in a pod. Spoons in a drawer.

MAVIS' VOICE

You pervert!

VOICE:

That, too.

STU:

Don't believe a word of it. It's

all lies.

VOICE:

Too late, Stu. She already

believes it.

MAVIS' VOICE

You can tell that scumbag never to

bother me again.

VOICE:

He won't care. He'll still have

me.

STU:

It's not true. I do care.

From outside the booth, there's a louder rapping on the

glass. Felicia really wants in.

FELICIA:

Get done in there, mister. I got

me an important call.

STU:

Go away.

FELICIA:

Sh*t I will! Finish up!

She continues to rap on the glass as Stu tries to focus on

the two-way phone call.

VOICE:

Why don't you tell me what you

think of us?

MAVIS' VOICE

You're both disgusting.

VOICE:

That's what he said about you.

Well, if Stu didn't have the balls

to come out and tell you the truth,

I felt it was my responsibility to

clear the air. Goodbye now, Mavis.

Thanks for your time.

(the phone clicks off; we

hear only a dial tone)

Back to you again, Stu.

STU:

You total a**hole! How could you

do that?

VOICE:

Speaking of females, that woman

hovering outside the booth -- may

as well tell her that you'll be on

the line forever.

STU:

Like hell I will.

VOICE:

I'm ready for you to take out your

cellular and phone home. And this

time, I'll listen in.

STU:

There's no chance of that.

VOICE:

Or should I call Kelly and make up

something totally outrageous? You

must realize by now I have a vivid

imagination.

STU:

You don't know our phone number!

VOICE:

Are you absolutely sure? I may

have been watching you on a regular

basis. Keeping track of all the

numbers I see you dial.

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