The American Page #12

Buongiorno.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 62. page 62.

CLARA:

You are hurt?

JACK:

I came off my scooter.

CLARA:

Madonna! and NO shoes!

JACK:

Yeah, well. It’s nothing to worry

about really. Maybe a bruised rib.

Una costola incrinata?

CLARA:

Stronzo! Let me help you!

JACK:

I’m fine.

CLARA:

But you have to go to the hospital!

JACK:

No, no, no. I have pain killers. I

just need a strong cup of coffee.

CLARA:

I know a place which make the

strongest coffee in L’Aquila.

Her limpid brown eyes twinkle.

99 INT. CLARA’S APARTMENT- NIGHT 99

A small, simply furnished kitchen.

As JACK sips a large cup of strong black coffee, CLARA cleans

a vicious welt on his right shoulder blade.

On JACK’s back is an exquisite tattoo...

...of a BUTTERFLY.

CLARA:

Ve bene. Tutto posto. Signor

Farfalla. [Good. Everything’s OK.

Mr. Butterfly.]

His eyes open wide and he turns to her quickly.

JACK:

Why d’you call me that?

A beat.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 63. page 63.

CLARA:

You have a tattoo. On your back.

Of course.

He relaxes.

But not completely.

99A EXT. CASTEL DEL MONTE - EARLY MORNING/ DAWN 99A

JACK drives into town, past the Fiat Punto and Carabinieri

cars. The area is taped off and the police are stopping the

cars leaving town.

100 INT. LOGGIA ABRUZZO, JACK'S ROOM- DAY 100

TINS of fruit drops: three kinds: black cherry, pineapple and

lemon. Each tin is emptied of its fruit drops.

Twenty rounds of ammunition- each round packed in silica- fit

exactly into each tin.

Expanding tipped rounds in the black cherry, jacketed in the

pineapple and explosive in the lemon.

JACK re-seals each tin with sellotape.

101 INT. L’AQUILA, CAFE - DAY 101

A popular and busy cafe provides JACK with ample cover.

Sitting alone amongst the shoppers, tourists, old men and

office girls, JACK has positioned himself with his back to

the wall, next to a window with a good view of the entrance.

He is reading a copy of Il Messagero, flicking his eyes back

and forth from the cafe entrance to a small column concerning

the murder of two prostitutes in the nearby city of Chieti.

There is a knock on the window.

JACK looks up and sees, CLARA, with a girl he has not seen

before, ANNA. Clara is smiling and waving to him from

outside.

JACK beckons them to come in and they enter the cafe.

CLARA:

Signor Farfalla. This is my friend

Anna.

CLARA’s eyes twinkle mischievously.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 63A. page 63A.

ANNA offers her hand to JACK. JACK half rises like the

perfect gentlemen, folding his newspaper and accepting ANNA’s

greeting.

CLARA:

How are you? Feeling better?

JACK:

Yes, much better thank

you...Grazie.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 64. page 64.

He indicates two empty chairs and sits down again.

JACK:

Prego...Will you take a coffee with

me?

CLARA:

Grazie but we’re going to see an

American movie. Anna is learning

English.

ANNA:

Lui Americano?

JACK:

I am.

JACK glances at CLARA. How much has she told her friend?

ANNA:

I would love to go to America.

CLARA looks at ANNA and then at JACK, waiting to see if there

is any reaction. There isn’t.

Beat.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 65. page 65.

CLARA:

So perhaps we will have a drink

together soon? I am free...

Her words sound rehearsed. She considers a crowded timetable.

CLARA:

...on Wednesday.

JACK:

Great. I’ll see you then.

CLARA:

But Eduardo... Where would you like

to meet?

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 66. page 66.

Again:
rehearsed. JACK is not expecting this. CLARA looks at

him mischievously. ANNA is listening.

JACK:

How about our usual place?

CLARA:

Our usual place?

She feigns complete perplexity.

CLARA:

I forgot. Where is our usual place?

The twinkle in her eye. She’s testing him. JACK is the

perfect gentleman.

JACK:

Maybe we should try something

different...Why don’t you suggest a

place?

There is no warmth in his suggestion. But CLARA doesn’t care.

CLARA:

Locanda Grapelli?

ANNA:

Si! This is the best food in the

area.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 67. page 67.

JACK:

Locanda Grapelli.

CLARA:

You’ll be there? At eight?

JACK:

I’ll be there. At eight.

CLARA:

See you then, Eduardo.

JACK gets up to say goodbye.

JACK:

See you then, Clara. It was a

delight to meet you Anna.

Arrivederci.

ANNA:

Arrivederci, Signor Farfalla.

Anna kisses Jack swiftly and softly on the cheek.

CLARA does the same on the lips. Behind the mischief in her

eyes is something doubtful. Has she gone too far?

102 OMITTED 102

103 EXT. DOWNTOWN L’AQUILA- DAY 103

From a LUGGAGE SHOP that also sells OFFICE SUPPLIES Jack buys

a black combination lock SAMSONITE BRIEFCASE, invoice books,

notepads, envelopes, metal pens and a calculator.

104 INT. JACK'S ROOM- NIGHT 104

JACK opens the black combination lock SAMSONITE BRIEFCASE and

lines the bottom and sides with lead-lined film protection

bags, cut to fit.

Into the base of the briefcase he glues pre-shaped pieces of

firm grey plastic foam. These form the pockets into which he

slots the constituent parts of the Ruger M14 semi automatic

rifle. They fit perfectly.

Over this JACK uses the HOOKS and EYES to clip a false

bottom:
a tough card cover onto which are pasted the custom

made headed notepaper, invoice books, notepads and envelopes.

.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 68. page 68.

To the briefcase’s central divider he adds the metal pens, a

calculator and a mobile phone. He sets the combination to

014. Then shuts and locks the BRIEFCASE.

This done he sits on the bed and stares at the case. With his

work complete, he is struck by a terrible sense of emptiness.

105 INT. JACK’S ROOM- NIGHT 105

Time has passed. JACK is fully clothed. He is lying in bed on

his back, staring at the ceiling. An alarm clock tells us

it’s 05.13 am.

106 EXT. PARCO DELLA RESISTENZA - JUST AFTER DAWN 106

A small park not far from Castel Del Monte’s town square.

It is just after dawn. The pine trees and the poplars are

silent. The sun is not yet up but the day is light. Sparrows

hop about, searching for crumbs.

JACK, ravaged by lack of sleep, wanders about like the demon

of a lost darkness, looking for his hole down to the

underworld.

FATHER BENEDETTO

Buongiorno! You’re up early!

He’s twenty meters away, his hand raised in half-welcome,

half-benediction.

JACK:

I just needed some air.

They greet one another and FATHER BENEDETTO falls into slow

step with JACK. The priest walks with his hands behind his

back. JACK with his hands in his pockets.

FATHER BENEDETTO

I walk here to meditate. Once a

week. The trees are like the

Stations of the Cross: by certain

trees I thank God for certain

favours he has granted me. For

example, here by this pine, I thank

him for the many friendships I have

and ask him to look after those of

my friends who are sinners.

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