The Grifters Page #8

The door opens and Lilly enters, followed by Bobo. The thugs

immediately rise and switch off the TV.

BOBO:

(to the thugs)

Take a walk.

The thugs leave the room as Lilly crosses to stand between US

and the view, followed by Bobo, neither looking out. Lilly

turns to Bobo, who abruptly punches her hard in the stomach.

She falls to the floor.

ANOTHER ANGLE as Bobo steps across her and goes over to close

the drapes over the view. Lilly sits up, watching him,

waiting obediently. Bobo looks at her.

BOBO (CONT'D)

Get me a bath towel.

She gets up, hurting, and hurries to the bathroom. Bobo sits

on the sofa, crosses his ankles on the coffee table next to

the supermarket bag. He takes out and lights a cigar. Lilly

comes back with a large white bath towel.

BOBO (CONT'D)

You ever hear about the oranges?

LILLY:

You mean, the insurance frammis?

BOBO:

Tell me about the oranges, Lilly.

He kicks over the supermarket bag. Oranges roll on the floor.

BOBO (CONT'D)

While you put those in the towel.

Lilly's very scared. She drops to her knees, spreads the

towel, crawls around gathering oranges while she talks.

LILLY:

You hit a person with the oranges

in the towel, they get big, awful

looking bruises, but they don't

really get hurt, not if you do it

right. It's for working scams

against insurance companies.

BOBO:

And if you do it wrong?

LILLY:

It can louse up your insides. You

can get puh, puh, puh...

BOBO:

(impatient)

What's that, Lilly?

Lilly pauses, bent over, tightly holding an orange.

LILLY:

Permanent damage.

BOBO:

You'll never sh*t right again.

He gets to his feet, leaving his cigar in an ashtray.

BOBO (CONT'D)

(hard, impatient)

Bring me the towel.

Fumbling slightly, she folds the towel edges together to make

a bag, then stands, brings the towel to Bobo. He makes a

production out of getting his grip on the edges just right.

She stands as limp as she can, just wanting to get through

this. He looks at her without expression, rears back with the

towel, swings it forward, lets it drop open. Oranges roll on

the floor. Lilly stares, wide-eyed, recognizing reprieve.

Bobo tosses the towel behind him onto the sofa, then gestures

contemptuously for her to pick up the oranges again.

TWO SHOT, closer, as Lilly turns, bending toward the oranges,

and Bobo picks up his cigar, then lifts a foot and kicks her

flatfooted, hard, in the back. She sprawls on the floor. He

follows and drops to his knees on her back.

AN ANGLE close on Lilly on the floor, Bobo's knees grinding

back and forth into her back.

AN ANGLE on Bobo, grimacing as he bears down, pressing his

weight onto her back. He leans forward, left hand bracing

himself on the floor beside her head as he reaches down with

the cigar held in his right hand and presses the ember

against the back of her splayed-out right hand.

ECU, Lilly, clenching her teeth, tears squeezing from her

eyes, simply bearing it.

AN ANGLE on Bobo, catching a bad smell, looking back down

behind himself at Lilly's body. This is the result he wanted,

but it disgusts him. He straightens up, still kneeling on

her, puts the cigar in his mouth, doesn't like its taste,

removes it, braces his left hand against her back while he

lifts off her, getting back up onto his feet.

WIDE SHOT, Bobo stepping over her, expression repulsed.

BOBO (CONT'D)

Go clean yourself up.

He puts the cigar back in the ashtray as she rises, cradling

her burnt hand. Not looking toward Bobo, hobbling with knees

together, she starts from the room.

BOBO (CONT'D)

The raincoat's on the bed.

She leaves. He opens the drapes, then picks up an orange from

the floor and steps out onto the balcony.

EXT. BALCONY - DAY

Bobo stands looking out at the ocean. He enjoys breathing the

sea air. He slowly peels the orange, dropping pieces of peel

over the side.

Lilly appears in the doorway, wearing a too-large man's

raincoat. Bobo doesn't seem to notice her at first, then nods

to her.

BOBO:

Almost forgot. That ten grand of

yours. It's in the envelope by the

door.

LILLY:

(tries for animation)

Oh, thanks, Bobo.

BOBO:

You want a drink?

LILLY:

Gee, I better not, if it's okay. I

still gotta drive back up to Los

Ang-gleez.

BOBO:

See your son, huh? Well, that's

nice. A side of you I didn't know,

Lilly.

Lilly chances taking a step out onto the balcony. It's vital

that she encourage this forgive-and-forget dialogue.

LILLY:

He's a good kid. A salesman.

BOBO:

On the square, huh? And how are you

making out these days? Stealing

much?

Bobo's being jolly now. Lilly's scared, but has to be jolly,

too.

LILLY:

From you? My folks didn't raise any

stupid kids.

Bobo's joshing now. He raises a humorous eyebrow.

BOBO:

Not skimming a thing, Lilly?

LILLY:

Oh, well, you know. I just clip a

buck here and a buck there. Not

enough to notice.

BOBO:

(honest approval)

That's right. Take a little, leave

a little.

LILLY:

A person that don't look out for

himself is too dumb to look out for

anybody else. He's a liability,

right, Bobo?

BOBO:

(this is his creed)

You're a thousand percent right!

LILLY:

Or else he's working an angle. If

he doesn't steal a little, he's

steeling big.

BOBO:

You know it, Lilly.

LILLY:

You know, I like that suit, Bobo. I

don't know what there is about it,

but it somehow makes you look

taller.

BOBO:

(delighted)

Yeah? You really think so? A lot of

people been telling me the same

thing.

LILLY:

Well, you can tell them I said

they're right.

(looks at sky)

I better get going. Roy'll wonder

where I am.

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