The Game Page #20

NICHOLAS:

I need your car, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH:

What happened to you, Nick? I mean,

look at yourself...

NICHOLAS:

I know, look at me, well...

(short laugh)

What happened? I don't know. I

don't even really know. I have some

things to try to take care of... I

need the car a little while.

ELIZABETH:

Of course you can have it if you need

it. Can I get you something to eat?

She starts working the CAR KEY off her keychain.

NICHOLAS:

You're the only person I can trust.

Everyone else...

(pause)

If Sam Sutherland calls, don't tell

him you saw me. Lie to him. And,

whatever you hear, whatever anyone

tells you when this is over...

Nicholas straightens as a PALE WAITRESS arrives. He studies

her. She notices his fixation, tries to ignore.

PALE WAITRESS:

(serving...)

There we go... coffee and English

muffin... water...

(smiles)

So, if there's anything...

Nicholas picks up his bottled water, examining the broken

plastic SAFETY SEAL around the cap.

NICHOLAS:

This is open. Someone opened it.

PALE WAITRESS:

Yes sir, I...

NICHOLAS:

I can't have this open.

(gives it back)

I'd like another unopened. And I

don't want ice. I need a glass

without ice.

The waitress leaves, glad to get away from this freak.

Nicholas keeps looking all around the restaurant and over

his shoulder. Elizabeth takes Nicholas' hand, worried.

ELIZABETH:

Nick, talk to me. You're scaring me.

I don't even know what you're saying.

He faces her, looks down at her hand in his.

NICHOLAS:

I'm sorry, Liz... I don't mean to.

Nicholas clasps her hand, caresses it, looks at her.

NICHOLAS:

The last few days, um... I've been

thinking... had a lot of spare time.

(pause, sad)

I want to tell you... I'm starting to

understand why you left me. I've

been resenting you for it, maybe, but

... I want to apologize, for all of

it. For shutting you out, for not

being there. I...

(swallows)

Anyway, I hope you can forgive me.

ELIZABETH:

There's nothing to forgive.

NICHOLAS:

It would mean a lot to me... if you

and I could be friends. If I could

have you back in my life... in some

small way. It would be important.

ELIZABETH:

Of course, Nick...

Nicholas tries to smile. He glances away for a second, and

he lets out a STRANGLED CRY because he SEES SOMETHING...

NICHOLAS:

No... no!

He stands, agonized, looking across to the...

TELEVISION, where JIM FEINGOLD is ON SCREEN in C.U.

NICHOLAS:

(to television)

You f***ing bastard!

ON TELEVISION:
Feingold looks menacing, the top of his HEAD

REDDENING and beginning to THROB. CHEESY SOUND EFFECTS...

NICHOLAS:

(still to t.v.)

How did you find me here?!

Obviously, everyone's watching Nicholas, Elizabeth included.

FEINGOLD (v.o.)

(ON TELEVISION)

Honey, my head is killing me!

WIFE'S VOICE (v.o.)

(from t.v., o.s.)

Did you take anything, sweetie?

FEINGOLD (v.o.)

(on television)

I took aspirin, but it's not working!

ON TV:
a FEMALE HAND appears, offering a BOTTLE OF PILLS.

WIFE'S VOICE (v.o.)

(from television)

Try Ambutol, you silly goose. It's

stronger than aspirin and...

Nicholas is starting to understand, stunned.

NICHOLAS:

He... he's an actor...

ON TV:
Feingold, now cured, holds up the pills and smiles.

FEINGOLD (v.o.)

Thanks to Ambutol, I've got my head

back together.

JINGLE MUSIC. Nicholas looks to Elizabeth, points to t.v.

NICHOLAS:

It's just a t.v. He's just an actor.

ELIZABETH:

(slowly)

Yes.

Nicholas realizes how he must look. He picks up the car

key, gives Elizabeth a kiss on the forehead.

NICHOLAS:

I'll explain someday.

ELIZABETH:

I hope.

She watches Nicholas hurry away. She sits forward,

wondering, shaking her head.

NEAR THE CASH REGISTER, Nicholas moves to the door, but

stops. He goes to the CASHIER.

NICHOLAS:

Can I borrow your Yellow Pages... ?

The cashier digs under the counter, comes up with the PHONE

BOOK. Nicholas takes it, leaving...

NICHOLAS:

Thanks.

Nicholas goes out the door, gone. The cashier does a

double-take, about to say something, confused, dour.

CUT TO:

EXT. URBAN STREET -- DAT

A run-down neighborhood. Nicholas drives Elizabeth's VOLVO,

erratically, distracted...

INSIDE THE VOLVO

He steers with one hand while paging thru the YELLOW PAGES

open on the seat. He gets to RESTAURANTS, trading glances

between the book and the street.

ON THE STREET:

Red light ahead. The Volvo stops.

INSIDE THE VOLVO

Nicholas finds ads for CHINESE RESTAURANTS, running his

finger down, flipping the page. His finger hits it -- a

grinning CARTOON PANDA. "TUNG HOY Chinese Restaurant."

NICHOLAS:

Tung Hoy. Tung Hoy... best in

Chinatown.

He tears the page out and studies it like a pirate with a

treasure map. Suddenly, an arm reaches in thru the window,

putting a KNIFE to Nicholas' throat...

MALE VOICE (o.s.)

Get out of the car, f***er...

Nicholas holds still, eyes shifting to look at the wasted,

skittish TEEN THUG threatening.

TEEN THUG:

Open the door and climb out. Leave

it running.

Nicholas is twitchy calm, motionless.

NICHOLAS:

You're making a mistake...

The knife presses harder against Nicholas' throat.

TEEN THUG:

Get out of the car.

NICHOLAS:

You don't understand...

TEEN THUG:

Get out of the car, motherf***er!

Get out of the car... !

Nicholas' hand finds and opens the book "To Kill a

Mockingbird" beside him. It's HOLLOWED-OUT with a GUN

hidden inside, a revolver, which Nicholas grips...

Nicholas brings the gun across, into the thug's face...

NICHOLAS:

You have no idea how fragile I am

right now.

The thug backs off... runs away. Nicholas watches him go,

puts down the gun, drives.

CUT TO:

EXT. TUNG HOY -- DAY

A festive Chinatown neighborhood. At "TUNG HOY," ducks hang

behind the CARTOON PANDA painted on the window.

INT. TUNG HOY -- DAY

Cramped. Walls covered in CELEBRITY HEADSHOTS. Nicholas

faces an OLD CHINESE WOMAN behind the counter.

NICHOLAS:

He's an actor. He does television

commercials...

CHINESE WOMAN:

Do you know how many customers we

have? Hundreds. Thousands.

NICHOLAS:

I know he orders from you. He had

his food delivered to Montgomery

Street. Fifteen-thirty-three...

The woman just shakes her head, continues bagging orders.

Nicholas realizes it's futile. He bends over the counter.

NICHOLAS:

Is there anyone else I could ask?

Maybe they'll remem...

Nicholas stops, eyes locked...

Low on the wall, amongst the grease-browned pictures of

pseudo-celebs, there's a newer GLOSSY OF FEINGOLD,

smiling big, labeled "William Fisher."

Nicholas looks to woman who's shouting into the kitchen. He

jumps up on the counter, reaching with his fingertips for

the "Feingold" PHOTO, straining, almost has it...

EXT. CHINATOWN STREET -- DAY

On a PAYPHONE, Nicholas looks at the BACK OF THE HEADSHOT --

credits, phone number -- flips it to show Feingold/Fisher.

NICHOLAS (v.o.)

(into phone)

... I know it's short notice Mrs.

Fisher, but we were hoping your

husband could audition today. He's

perfect for the part...

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