Rocky Page #12

APOLLO:

(continuing)

Now I gots a special

announcement, y'hear. For the

first time in alotta years

this championship fight is

gonna be on your home T.V.!

Free -- 'Course that's just

for Philly -- My present to

the city...

(MORE)

78.

APOLLO (CONT'D)

Now some ya'll ain't much on

likin' me, but ya gotta admit

Apollo Creed is one DAMN

generous, 100% pure, government

inspected, Afro-American Folk

Hero!!!

Everyone laughs... Dipper moves across the room like a large

snake. He brushes people aside and steps behind Rocky. He

nudges him... Rocky thinks it is an accident and ignores it.

Dipper pushes harder and Rocky looks questioningly at him.

DIPPER:

(loud)

Ya nothin', Boy!

Apollo stops his sales pitch in mid-sentence... The

television crew faces Dipper.

DIPPER:

(continuing)

I say ya nothin'!

MICKEY:

What's happenin' here?

DIPPER:

I'm happenin'! This pig is

takin' my shot -- I iz a

contender. He's nothin'.

ROCKY:

(dumbstruck)

Yo', Dipper, why're ya --

DIPPER:

(shaking his fist)

Spar me in front of these here

TV dudes -- I knock ya ass to

Jersey!

Dipper's fat black trainer holds out his hands and Dipper

slaps them soul style.

MICKEY:

(to Dipper)

You can forget about sparring,

kid.

DIPPER:

Yo' know I iz the best man

here! Yo' said so yoself!

79.

MICKEY:

(almost

apologetically

to the crew)

Why let Rocky here take a

chance on cuttin' or breakin'

a hand? -- Take a shower,

Dipper.

DIPPER:

Don't mouth me, old man, I'll

knock yo' out too. C'mon,

wop, spar me, let everybody

see who's got the heat around

here.

Silence looms over the gym... Apollo is apprehensive. The

scene is becoming too real. The frightened television crew

slyly begins putting away their expensive equipment.

DIPPER:

(continuing; insanely)

Man, yo' best keep them

cameras out! Fight me, boy!

Let Creed here see the kind of

punk he's fightin'!

Mike forces his way through the crowd and stands behind Rocky.

MIKE:

Don't chance it, man -- He's

sick.

MICKEY:

This is gettin' outta hand --

Rocky will fight in the ring

January first, not here!

DIPPER:

Yo' yellow, old man.

MICKEY:

Not yellow, cautious.

(to the crew)

See, it's very easy for a

fighter to accidentally hurt --

Dipper suddenly steps forward and slaps Rocky very hard

across the side of the head... The gym becomes stone cold.

Dipper is in total command and enjoying every moment of it.

80.

DIPPER:

If yo're afraid to fight me,

then get down an' kiss my

feet, boy.

Mickey looks nervously around and knows it's only seconds

before the blood will run... Rocky stands motionless.

MICKEY:

(softly)

Let's take a walk, Rock.

Please, don't take a chance.

He wants to hurt you so you

can't fight.

Rocky swallows his pride. He still has the string around

his ankles. He starts to shuffle away with Mickey... Dipper

steps forward and viciously slaps Rocky again.

Mike jumps forward.

MIKE:

Why you tryin' to cut 'im, man!

Back off, scumbag, or I'll

bite your face!

Dipper cuts loose with a hook and knocks Mike flat. The

room reeks of fear... Apollo's eyes flick back and forth

between Rocky and Dipper. Apollo taps his bodyguards and

they begin to ease away.

DIPPER:

... Now, boy, kiss my feet.

Rocky eyes his friend lying on the floor. He shuffles

forward and stands before Dipper.

DIPPER:

(continuing;

almost in a whisper)

... Kiss 'em.

Rocky looks at Mickey, then lowers his eyes to Dipper's

feet... Dipper smiles. Rocky starts to bend towards the

shoes. Without warning, he explodes with a pair of

combinations into Dipper's exposed ribs. A CRACK is HEARD

and Dipper sinks to the floor writhing in pain... The room

is silent except for Dipper's moaning.

Apollo is stunned by the scene. The gym has become a very

gloomy place. He eyes Rocky with admiration and a hint of

apprehension... He leaves.

81.

Mickey is the first one to shake off the chill... He shakes

his fists at the Reporters, and puts his arm around Rocky.

MICKEY:

The kid's got cannons -- Print

that.

The crowd disperses, leaving Dipper a pathetic and broken

figure lying on a dirty gym floor.

INT. ROCKY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

They enter the dismal apartment... On the floor are at least

ten telegrams. Rocky scoops them up and tosses them aside.

Next to the door is a pile of over a hundred telegrams.

ADRIAN:

Don't you open them anymore?

ROCKY:

They either say, 'Kill the

n*gger' or 'Hope you die,

Honky.' -- What ya got in the

bag?

Adrian steps to the window. She pulls a pair of short but

lovely curtains from a shopping bag... The colorful curtains

glare in the dark room.

ADRIAN:

Like?

ROCKY:

Sharp -- Real nice.

ADRIAN:

Really -- You don't think

they're overly feminine?

ROCKY:

No... Sharp -- You look great.

Adrian smiles and pulls out a small Christmas wreath...

Rocky smiles. His eyes show what he feels for this woman.

ROCKY:

Adrian, you really look great,

y'know -- But I can't fool

around durin' trainin' --

makes the legs weak.

ADRIAN:

Don't want weak legs.

82.

ROCKY:

Can't fool around -- You look

very great.

ADRIAN:

-- The legs.

ROCKY:

Yeah... But I think weak legs

ain't bad sometimes, y'know.

Rocky approaches in a seductive manner. Adrian

uncharacteristically removes her sweater. Underneath is a

T-shirt that reads "Win, Rocky, Win."

ADRIAN:

I thought it might be cute.

ROCKY:

Ya right --

(laughs)

Mebbe we best just hold

hands -- the shirt made me

feel guilty, y'know.

SCENE FADES.

EXT. STREET - PRE-DAWN

Rocky is running... for extra weight he carries his huge

dog, Butkus. After a half a block he sags under the weight,

and laughing, begins to wrestle with the dog on the

pavement... Rocky tries to sneak away from the dog, but

after a few steps the beast sees him and chases him down the

street.

EXT. EASTERN PACKING COMPANY - DAWN

It is early morning and as usual Rocky jogs to the meathouse.

He is followed by his new dog, Butkus. He is stopped short

when he notices several television news vans parked out front.

INT. EASTERN PACKING COMPANY - DAWN

He and the dog enter the freezer area and see several

reporters and men with mini-cameras milling around... Paulie

is waiting for him -- Rocky is upset and goes outside.

Paulie follows.

83.

EXT. EASTERN PACKING COMPANY - DAWN

PAULIE:

Yo, Rock. I made a few phone

calls an' thanks to me ya

goin' to be a big man --

Thatta dog?

ROCKY:

Whatta these guys want?

PAULIE:

To see ya train.

ROCKY:

Yo, what's with you? -- It was

suppose to be private.

PAULIE:

I thought I was doin' ya a

favor -- C'mon inside --

Y'know, my sister really likes

ya.

Rocky follows Paulie inside.

INT. EASTERN PACKING COMPANY - DAY

A REPORTER points in Rocky's direction and suddenly he is

surrounded and led into the freezer area and positioned

beside a slab of hanging beef. The camera lights go on.

COMMENTATOR:

Just relax, Mr. Balboa --

(to the camera)

Today we're here with

heavyweight challenger, Rocky

Balboa. The reason we are

standing in a refrigerated box

is that Mr. Balboa has an

unusual method of training and

in a moment he is going to

demonstrate it for our viewing

audience -- But first, Rocky,

how did you ever come to train

in an icebox?

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