Phone Booth Page #9

RAMEY:

We're not about to force you

because there could be a

miscalculation and then we'd never

find out why this happened.

STU:

Why is it so important to know?

The guy is dead. Isn't that

enough? Knowing isn't going to

make him alive again. So who gives

a f***!

RAMEY:

It's what makes the job

interesting. Finding out why.

Something drove you to do this.

You didn't go out today expecting

this to happen. It was a nice day.

You were out for a walk. And then

suddenly it all changed.

STU:

All I wanted was to make a phone

call. One lousy phone call for

thirty-five f***ing cents.

VOICE:

Careful, Stu. Don't volunteer too

much.

RAMEY:

You got some bad news on that call.

STU:

The worst.

RAMEY:

Something that pushed you over the

edge?

STU:

And I've been falling ever since.

RAMEY:

Time to land.

STU:

When you hit bottom, you die.

RAMEY:

I'm your safety net.

STU:

If I tell you what you want to know

-- you'll die, too.

Something about the implied threat sends a chill through

Captain Ramey.

INSERT SHOT:

The Captain's head as seen through a telescopic sight.

Ramey could be dead in an instant.

PRODUCTION NOTE:
The only time we deviate from Stu's

perspective is when we see the sniper's POV through his

scope.

ANGLE BACK ON STU IN THE BOOTH,

the detective fifteen feet away.

Ramey decides to back off momentarily.

RAMEY:

I'll go see about that lawyer.

STU:

Now that's a good idea.

The Captain withdraws back across the street.

VOICE:

He's lucky. I had him centered in

my cross hairs. I really had to

restrain myself.

We hear the approach of a helicopter.

Stu peers up ward as not one but two choppers appear above

the tall buildings.

VOICE:

It's not the police. It's the

media. You're news, Stuart.

The helicopters circle above.

VOICE:

You've never gotten this much press

for any of your clients. I'm

making you a famous person.

STU:

They're just hoping for coverage of

me dying in the gutter.

VOICE:

Their presence is putting the

police on their continued best

behavior.

STU:

Those cops are just looking for any

excuse.

VOICE:

Then don't give them one.

Then, as if on cue, Stu's cellular phone in his pocket starts

ringing.

But he can't allows himself to reach for it. To do so might

cause the police to believe he was trying to draw his gun.

It rings quietly -- virtually inaudible outside the booth.

Drowned out by the traffic horns, the static from the police

radios and the newly introduced sound of television

helicopters circling over Eighth Avenue taking video coverage

of the event below.

VOICE:

Who could it be?

STU:

Kelly. She was worried about me.

Stu is afraid to reach in his pocket lest the cops think he's

going for a gun.

VOICE:

Maybe she's seen this on

television. It must be on every

channel by now. Breaking news.

STU:

She doesn't watch daytime TV.

VOICE:

One of the neighbors could've

alerted her.

The cell phone keeps ringing, almost drowned out by the sound

of helicopters circling overhead.

STU:

Why are you saying this? You want

me to reach in my pocket so you can

see them open fire?

VOICE:

That's an unwarranted accusation

and very unbecoming in light of the

good advice I've given in the past.

Have I ever steered you wrong?

STU:

God -- how I'd love to hear her

voice.

VOICE:

It might even be worth it. She's

insistent, isn't she?

The cellular won't stop ringing.

STU:

If she knows I'm in trouble, she

won't give up.

VOICE:

Probably glued to the TV by now.

I'm watching coverage on two

stations now. Channel surfing.

(pause)

Well, there you are on two and four

and five. Not any decent angles on

you, though, stuck inside there.

The cell phone continues beeping until the sound of it is

maddening. Stu is still afraid to reach for it and provide

the cops with an excuse to open fire.

VOICE:

But if you'd take one or two steps

outside and look up, I think they

could get a clear picture of you.

STU:

You said I'm not allowed to leave

the booth.

Finally the cell phone stops ringing.

VOICE:

I might be willing to bend the

rules and let you enjoy your moment

of fame. Set the phone down

without hanging up... and take a

step or two outside. Just for a

minute. Then come straight back in

or I'll be forced to provide 'live'

coverage that should rival the

historic Zapruder footage.

(beat)

Nothing like an exploding head to

excite viewer interest.

STU:

No, thanks. I'll stay where I am.

VOICE:

It was only a suggestion. Since

you're convinced I'm going to plug

you anyway, it can't matter much.

STU:

If you shoot me, you give yourself

away.

VOICE:

Even without a muffler, they'd

never hear the report with all this

noise. Afterwards, it'd take them

a good ten minutes to realize you

weren't plugged by some overzealous

officer. Then they'll blame the

media for inciting a crackpot

vigilante to come down here and do

the SWAT team's job for them.

STU:

You expected them to come. You had

this all worked out.

VOICE:

I write the scenario and you all

play your parts -- as directed.

The damned cell phone starts beeping again. Stu fights the

temptation to grab for it and hear Kelly's voice for one last

time.

STU:

Poor Kelly. What she must be going

through.

VOICE:

Why don't you tell her how you feel

about her?

STU:

I'd never get the words out. Not

with fifteen or twenty rounds in

me.

VOICE:

You can't be certain they'd fire.

They'd see it was only a phone.

STU:

They wouldn't wait to see.

The cellular ringing continues jangling Stu's nerves.

STU:

Why doesn't she hang up?

Then Stu notices something in the crowd gathering far across

the street behind the police barricades. Countless faces

rubbernecking, probably hoping to see some display of

violence that would end with him face down dead on the

pavement.

And in the midst of them -- one face familiar to him. A

female, quite pretty... even in tears. It's Kelly. (We see

her only in LONG SHOT -- a distant figure in bright green

jacket that makes her stand out from the crowd.)

STU:

It's her! She's not calling me.

She's over there.

VOICE:

Is she?

STU:

The blonde girl in the green

jacket.

VOICE:

Can't miss her. Very attractive,

isn't she?

STU:

She must've heard all the commotion

and come downstairs.

The cellular is still ringing.

STU:

It's somebody else who knows my

cell number.

(beat)

It's you!

VOICE:

You continue to impress.

STU:

Why is it so important that they

kill me?

VOICE:

Because that's how I win.

STU:

This time you won't. If you want

me dead, you'll have to do it

yourself.

VOICE:

Either way I can't lose.

STU:

It's all a game to you -- because

you're incapable of feelings.

You're not even human.

VOICE:

I pride myself on that. What's so

great about being human? It's the

lowest form of life on this planet

and I've taken it upon myself to

thin the herd.

STU:

I quit. I'm not answering back any

more. I won't hang up but I'm not

playing.

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