Taxi Driver Page #15

Who?

TRAVIS:

Oh, lots. I don't know where they

all are now. There used to be one

standing over there.

(points)

SECRET SERVICE MAN's gaze follows TRAVIS' finger for a

second, then return to TRAVIS.

TRAVIS (CONTD)

Is it hard to get to be a Secret

Service Man?

SECRET SERVICE MAN

Why?

TRAVIS:

I kinda thought I might make a good

one. I'm very observant.

SECRET SERVICE MAN

Oh?

TRAVIS:

I was in the Army too.

(beat)

And I'm good with crowds.

The SECRET SERVICE MAN is starting to get interested in

TRAVIS:
he definitely ranks as a suspicious character.

74.

SECRET SERVICE MAN

Is that so?

TRAVIS:

What kind of guns do you guys use?

.38's?

The SECRET SERVICE MAN decides it's time to get some more

information on TRAVIS:

SECRET SERVICE MAN

Look, um, if you give me your name

and address, we'll send you the

information on how to apply.

TRAVIS:

You would, huh?

SECRET SERVICE MAN

(taking out notepad)

Sure.

TRAVIS:

My name is Henry Krinkle -- that's

with a "K." K-R-I-N-K-L-E. I live

at 13 1/2 Hopper Avenue, Fair Lawn,

New Jersey. Zip code 07410.

(a beat)

Got that?

SECRET SERVICE MAN

Sure, Henry. I got it all. We'll

send you all the stuff all right.

TRAVIS:

Great, hey. Thanks a lot.

The SECRET SERVICE MAN motions to a SECRET SERVICE

PHOTOGRAPHER to catch a picture of TRAVIS. TRAVIS notices

this, and quickly slips away into the CROWD.

CUT TO:

TRAVIS sits at his desk in his APARTMENT, writing. He wears

jeans, western shirt and empty holster.

TRAVIS (V.O.)

June 11. Eight rallies in six more

days. The time is coming.

CUT TO:

NIGHT. TRAVIS' taxi picks up a FARE in the midtown area and

heads downtown.

75.

LOWER EAST SIDE. TRAVIS lets off FARE on B Street and cuts

across toward Tompkins Square.

TRAVIS turns the corner when SKREETCH! he suddenly hits the

brakes, causing the cab to rock back and forth.

He has almost hit a YOUNG GIRL recklessly crossing the

street. She thumps her hand on the taxi hood to regain her

balance and stares in shock through the front window. C.U.

GIRL's face.

TRAVIS recognizes her face: it's IRIS, the GIRL in his taxi

a week or so before. IRIS looks at TRAVIS sharply then

turns and continues walking.

TRAVIS' eyes follow her and she rejoins a GIRLFRIEND. They

are both dressed as hippie hookers: sloppy clothes, boots,

jeans, floppy hats. And the old come-hither walk is

unmistakable.

TRAVIS follows IRIS and her GIRLFRIEND slowly as they walk

down the sidewalk.

TRAVIS' P.O.V. He examines them from bottom to top --

boots, legs, thighs, breasts, faces, hats.

As TRAVIS rolls astride the GIRLS, he notices the familiar

FRINGE OF A SUEDE JACKET standing in the shadows. The GIRLS

look toward the SHADOWED FIGURE, smile, acknowledge some

unheard comment, and continue on.

IRIS looks back uneasily at TRAVIS' taxi and continues on.

On the corner stand TWO well-to-do COLLEGE STUDENTS, somewhat

out of place in this environment, but making every attempt

to groove on it. They are high on something or another.

The GIRLS spot the COLLEGE STUDENTS and walk over to them.

They exchange some small talk and walk off together. There

is little subtlety involved: it is obviously a pick-up.

TRAVIS must negotiate a turn around the corner if he is to

continue following the GIRLS and their COLLEGIATE JOHNS.

This is not so easy, since the traffic is heavy.

As TRAVIS slows down to make the turn, he notices ANOTHER

HIPPIE HOOKER who had been watching him watching IRIS and

her GIRLFRIEND. She walks over to the taxi, loans in the

open left front window and gives TRAVIS the come-on disguised

as an innocent question:

C.U. HIPPIE HOOKER.

76.

HIPPIE HOOKER:

Hey cabbie! You comin' or goin'?

TRAVIS quickly turns his face away from her in a combination

of shock, embarrassment and revulsion. He is the child

caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The very presence

of this crassly, openly sexual human being frightens and

sickens him.

TRAVIS takes off with a skreetch. His taxi shoots down the

block.

CUT TO:

A HOT JUNE DAY. TRAVIS' taxi, the "Off Duty" sign on, is

parked against the curb somewhere in HARLEM. WHITE COPS,

SECRET SERVICE MEN and REPORTERS, punctuate the otherwise

BLACK CROWDS which walk to and fro in the b.g.

CHARLES PALANTINE's voice can be heard coming from a distant

loudspeaker system. It is a political rally.

TRAVIS sits behind the wheel, coldly staring at something in

the distance. His hair, of course, is still clipped short

and he wears mirror-reflecting sunglasses. Even though a

drop of sweat is working its way down his cheek, TRAVIS

wears his Army jacket with the bulge on the left side -- the

.38 Smith and Wesson bulge.

A BLOCK AWAY, PALANTINE stands on a platform outside his

uptown campaign headquarters. On the platform sit an array

of BLACK DIGNITARIES. Nearby we recognize the SECRET

SERVICE MAN TRAVIS spoke to at the earlier rally: he scans

the CROWD anxiously.

PALANTINE is speaking animatedly. He is an excellent

speaker and captures our attention. He drives hard toward

his arguments, crashes down on his points. His strained

voice rings with sincerity and anger.

C.U. of PALANTINE as he speaks. He is dressed in rolled-up

shirtsleeves and sweat pours down his face.

PALANTINE:

The time has come to put an end to

the things that divide us: racism,

poverty, way -- and to those

persons who seek to divide us.

Never have I seen such a group of

high officials from the President

to Senate leaders to Cabinet

members...

77.

CUT TO TRAVIS:
no expression. PALANTINE's words are barely

distinguishable from a block away:

PALANTINE:

(in distance)

... pit black against white, young

against old, sow anger, disunity

and suspicion -- and all in the

name of the "good of the country."

Well, their game is over.

(applause)

All their games are over. Now is

the time to stand up against such

foolishness, propaganda and

demagoguery. Now is the time for

one man to stand up and accept his

neighbor, for one man to give in

order that all might receive. Is

unity and love of common good such

a lost thing?

ALL LIVE SOUND CEASES as TRAVIS' narration begins. He is

reading from a letter or card he has just written.

As he speaks we see SHOTS of PALANTINE speaking, a seated

row of YOUNG BLACK PALANTINE red, white and blue bedecked

CHEERLEADERS, SECRET SERVICE AGENTS examining the CROWD and

so forth. These SHOTS have no direct relationship to the

narration.

TRAVIS (V.O.)

(reading)

Dear Father and Mother,

June is the month, I remember,

which brings not only your wedding

anniversary, but also Father's Day

and Mother's birthday. I'm sorry I

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