Psycho Page #18

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SHERIFF:

Nothing. Here, let's clear the path.

He moves away and the others follow. CAMERA PANS them to the

curb.

LILA:

(Interrupting)

Did he say anything about my sister?

SHERIFF:

Just what he told your detective.

She used a fake name, saw the register myself. Saw the whole

place, as a matter of fact. That boy is alone there.

SAM:

No mother.

SHERIFF:

You must've seen an illusion, Sam.

Now, I know you're not the seeing-

illusion type... But no woman was

illusion there and I don't believe

in ghosts, so there it is!

LILA:

I still feel...

SHERIFF:

Can see you do. Sorry I couldn't

make you feel better. You want to

come to my office this afternoon and

report a missing person... And the

theft, is what you want to do! Sooner

you drop this thing in the lap of

the law, that's the sooner you'll

stand a chance of your sister bein'

picked up. How about that?

LILA:

I don't know.

MRS. CHAMBERS

It's Sunday. Come over and do the

reporting at the house, 'round dinner

time. Make it nicer. You too, Sam.

She smiles brightly, as if having invited them over to discuss

this year's charity fandango, takes the

Sheriff's arm, starts away. The Sheriff nods as he goes.

Sam and Lila are alone now, at the curb, before the deserted

chapel. For a long moment they just stand there, their faces

as gray and overcast as the sky.

SAM:

Maybe I am the seeing-illusions type.

LILA:

You're not.

Sam takes her arm, starts walking her up the street toward

the spot where his pick-up truck is parked.

CAMERA FOLLOWS them.

SAM:

Want me to drop you at the hotel?

Or you want to come over to the store?

Lila does not answer. They reach the truck. Lila looks

directly at Sam as he helps her into the cab.

LILA:

I won't feel satisfied unless I got

out there, Sam.

SAM:

Neither will I.

He slams the door, hurries around truck, gets into driver's

seat, starts motor. As the truck drives off,

DISSOLVE TO:

SAM AND LILA IN TRUCK - (PROCESS - HIGHWAY)

For a moment, both are silent; Sam watching the road as if

there were other cars on it, Lila staring at nothing in

particular, except perhaps her own inner fear.

LILA:

I wonder if we'll ever see Mary again.

SAM:

Of course we will.

LILA:

Alive.

Sam looks as if he'd like to say something humorous, something

to cheer her. He cannot. He remains silent.

LILA:

We lived together all our lives.

When we woke up one morning and found ourselves orphans,

Mary quit college and got a job, so I could go to college.

SAM:

Where'd you go to college?

LILA:

I didn't. I got a job, too.

(A pause)

I wonder if that hurt her, my not

letting her sacrifice for me? Some

people are so willing to suffer for

you that they suffer more if you

don't let them.

SAM:

(Almost to himself)

She was willing to lick the stamps.

Lila looks quizzically at him, is too concerned to pursue

it.

LILA:

I wonder so many things about her

now. Why she never told me about

you... Funny, when you think there's

an answer to everything, you think

you know all the answers.

SAM:

We were going to get married. Are

going to get married!

LILA:

Do you know how I found out about

you? I found one of your letters...

it was a nice letter, Sam.

SAM:

This is the old highway.

LILA:

I suppose... when you were able to

marry her she'd have presented you,

all shiny and proper... she always

tried to be proper.

SAM:

Watch your tenses.

LILA:

Huh?

SAM:

She always tries to be proper.

Sam slows the truck to a stop, sighs, starts to light up a

cigarette. Lila looks questioningly and impatiently at him.

LILA:

You going to wait here for me?

SAM:

I'm going with you. But we'd better

decide what we're going to say and

do when we walk in...

LILA:

We're going to register. As man and

wife. And get shown to a cabin...

and then search every inch of that

place, inside and... outside.

SAM:

You won't believe it...

(Starts motor)

But this will be the first time

I've ever pulled one of those man-

and-wife-renting-cabin capers!

LILA:

(A tiny smile, first

in hours)

I believe it.

As truck starts to drive on,

CUT TO:

EXT. THE BATES MOTEL AND HOUSE - (DAY)

The place is empty and silent and washed dirty by the deep

gray of the cloudy sky. We see Sam's truck turning into the

driveway and pulling to a stop. After a moment, Sam and Lila

get out of the truck.

FRESH ANGLE:

Close on Sam and Lila as they meet on the porch side of the

truck. The motel office and the house beyond can be seen in

b.g. of shot. Sam and Lila merely stare for a moment, then

turn and gaze up at the house. There is no figure in the

window and the shade is drawn. Same goes to the office door,

peers in, knocks, opens door, enters. Lila remains on the

driveway, beside the truck.

CUT TO:

INT. THE MOTHER'S ROOM - (DAY)

CLOSE ANGLE on Norman standing by the window. He has pulled

the curtains very slightly apart, is staring out and down at

the motel, his eyes studying the lone figure of Lila, who is

standing by the truck and looking up at the house. Norman

studies her, and as her eyes look up at this very window he

closes the curtains, turns away.

We see the suspicion and fear in his face, the surge of panic

and his struggle to contain it. Then he goes away. CAMERA

remains on window, shooting out and down, and through the

frail curtains we can see Sam as he comes out of the motel

office and joins Lila.

EXT. MOTEL OFFICE - CLOSE ON SAM AND LILA

SAM:

(Unconsciously

whispering)

I wonder where Norman Bates does his

hermiting?

LILA:

Someone was at that window. I saw

the curtain move.

Sam takes Lila's arm.

SAM:

Come on.

He starts with her toward the path which leads to the old

house. CAMERA PANS with them, and as they turn around the

office corner, they see Norman coming down the path toward

them. They pause and Norman pauses. He does not smile, nor

speak. His usual grin and soft friendliness are gone;

containment and impassivity lie in their place.

SAM:

(Cheerfully)

Just coming up to ring for you.

NORMAN:

(Coming forward)

I suppose you want a cabin.

SAM:

We'd hoped to make it straight to

San Francisco, but we don't like the

look of that sky. Looks like a bad

day coming... doesn't it.

Norman walks past Sam, giving him the sort of quick,

disapproving glance one gives a man who is obviously lying,

goes onto the porch and into the office. Sam and Lila follow

Norman.

INT. MOTEL OFFICE - (DAY)

Norman crosses to the desk, goes behind it, takes the key to

cabin number twelve off the keyboard. Sam and Lila have

entered and are almost to the desk-counter by this time.

NORMAN:

I'll take you to...

SAM:

Better sign in first, hasn't we?

Sam eyes scan the counter, looking for a registration book.

NORMAN:

It isn't necessary.

SAM:

(Interrupting with a

friendly cheerfulness)

Uh, uh! My boss is paying for this

trip... ninety percent business...

and he wants practically notarized

receipts. I better sign in and get a

receipt.

Norman stares at Sam, as if he'd like to yell at him, call

him "liar." Instead he reaches under the desk counter, brings

out the registration book. Lila moves closer, studies the

book as Sam signs in. Sam signs "Joe and Mrs. Johnson." The

signature and city of "Marie Samuels" and after it, the

notation "Cabin One," can be clearly seen three registrations

above Sam's.

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