The Hero Page #2

On the beach where there's a party

(PHONE BUZZING)

On the beach Where there's a party...

Hello?

WOMAN:
Hello, Mr. Hayden?

It's Nina calling from Cedars-Sinai.

Dr. Friedburg would like to schedule

your first oncology appointment.

Oh?

Are you available tomorrow morning at 11:00?

Tomorrow morning?

Um...

Dr. Friedburg would

like to discuss your treatment plan

with you as soon as possible.

Is there another time

that might be better for you?

I'm actually in the middle

of something right now, could...

- Can I call you back?

- Yeah, that's fine.

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

(MELANCHOLY MUSIC PLAYING)

(WAVES BREAKING)

(MUSIC)

Best tacos in L.A., right?

Yeah.

You live around here?

No.

Stalking you. (LAUGHS)

Yeah.

Charlotte, right?

Got a good memory for an old pot-head.

A sad old pot-head.

Why did you say that anyway?

Um, because you're old

and you smoke a lot of weed.

I mean, the part about me being sad.

I don't know.

Are you?

Nothing wrong with that.

Are you married?

Divorced. Have been for a long time.

So are you gonna ask for my number?

You want me to?

Yeah.

What? You got a thing for

sad old guys or something?

No.

Just old guys.

You doing anything on Sunday night?

("KEEP ON MOVING" PLAYING)

Cheers.

To achieving things in a lifetime.

Sure.

You keep on moving in and out, girl

You keep on moving

What's that?

CHARLOTTE:
Fairy powder.

Uh-huh.

It's something that will make you feel great.

I'm feeling pretty good right now.

Oh, yeah?

You keep on moving...

It won't kill you, I promise.

But no peer pressure.

Give me that stuff.

LEE:
You really like burning

the candle at both ends, don't you?

It seems like you do too.

You know who came up with that?

"Burning the candle at both ends"?

Who's that?

Edna St. Vincent Millay.

"My candle burns at both ends,

it will not last the night,

"But, ah, my foes, and oh, my friends,

It gives a lovely light!"

Isn't it great?

It's called First Fig.

What?

I'm thinking.

What are you thinking?

That if you were maybe

20 years older, I'd probably kiss you.

I got to wait 20 years?

You'll be dead in 20 years.

Don't remind me.

So, you're ready for tonight?

Not really.

Are you gonna give a speech?

They'll be expecting that.

Just talk about all your

lifetime achievements.

I did one film that I'm proud of.

That was 40 years ago.

Since then, I've stayed busy,

but I wouldn't say I've been...

achieving.

It's kinda weird being

remembered for one part for so many years.

Yeah?

But it's about as close to immortality

as any person can get.

You haven't even seen it.

I don't need to see it.

I've got you right here.

Got the man himself.

The Hero.

Okay.

("THAT'S HOW I GOT TO MEMPHIS" PLAYING)

If you love somebody enough

You'll follow wherever they go

So, when is this

fairy powder going to kick in?

Pretty soon.

And then this is going to seem like

the greatest party of all time.

LEE:
It better.

MAN:
Mr. Hayden.

- Please, call me Lee.

- Gary.

Gary Babcock, I'm the...

the president of the...

the Western Appreciation

and Preservation Guild.

We're... we're so honored to have you here.

I'm honored to be here, Gary.

- This is...

- Hi, I'm Cathy Lee.

Cathy Lee.

- Funny.

- CHARLOTTE:
Isn't it?

When I met him I thought,

(MUFFLED) this must be meant to be.

Uh-huh.

This is such a cool event,

such a... diverse crowd.

Uh, yeah. Sure.

Well, would you mind stepping over?

We'd like to get a few pictures.

Sure.

- You too, Cathy Lee.

- You bet.

- Oh.

- Woah. Pardon me, darlin'.

No, I'm...

I mean, you can bump

into me anytime you want, Mr. Hayden.

Well, there you go. (LAUGHS)

I'm Betsy.

How do you do, Betsy?

I'm such a huge fan.

Well, thank you.

Would you mind signing something for me?

- I'll be happy to.

- Really appreciate it.

BETSY:
Here.

To Betsy.

My bumpin' buddy.

I love that.

Thank you.

- Here you go, Betsy.

- Thank you so much.

- You're so welcome.

- And I just love your mustache.

Well...

It loves you too.

GARY:
Mr. Hayden.

Would you mind stepping over here?

Yep, I feel it too.

("YOUNGER" PLAYING)

Getting any

Getting any

Getting any

Getting any

Getting any

No, you ain't getting any

GARY ON MIC:

Well now, the man I'm about to introduce

needs no introduction.

You all know this year's recipient.

His... his unmistakable voice,

his iconic mustache,

made him one of most popular

actors in the 1970s and 80s.

His turn as "The Hero"

in the film by the same name is... is

widely considered one of the...

one of the greatest western

performances of all time.

Let's take a look.

The one, the only, Lee Hayden.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(MUSIC)

MAN (MOVIE):
Hold it right there, friend.

We been lookin' for you.

LEE (MOVIE):
Is that right?

(DIALOG BECOMES INDISTINCT)

(MUSIC)

(GUNSHOT FROM MOVIE)

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

Ladies and gentlemen, the Western Icon

Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

for this year, Mr. Lee Hayden.

(LOUD CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Thank you.

LEE:
Wow.

I don't know what to say.

Awards are a strange thing.

I mean, what does it say about you?

Before I came here tonight, I looked up

"achievement" in the dictionary.

It's not a difficult word.

We all know what it means.

But I looked it up anyway.

Looked it up on my phone.

(AUDIENCE CHUCKLING)

And it said, "the result of hard work."

Well, I certainly have worked hard.

But the thing is...

I know there are a lot

of others out there who

are more deserving than I am of this award.

And so, I'm not sure why I'm

standing up here right now.

Not sure I deserve this.

Any of this.

MAN:
We love you, Lee.

I love you too.

(AUDIENCE LAUGH)

I do. I feel that love.

Deeply.

I'm nothing without all of you.

Just a grain of sand.

And that's the thing,

we're all just grains of sand.

We're just people.

People working hard and

trying to do our best.

Aren't we?

- Yeah.

- Yes.

I'm no better than you

and you're no better than me.

Everyone in this room

is as deserving as I am of this award.

Like you, Miss.

Yes, ma'am, you.

Come here. It's okay, come on up.

Come on up. (APPLAUSE)

What's your name, darlin'?

Diane.

Diane.

Wow, this jacket you've got on sure is...

soft.

(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)

Tell you what, Diane,

you are my...

Western Icon Lifetime

Achievement award winner.

Here you go. Diane, everybody.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERING)

(WHISTLING)

Diane is my hero.

Let's hear it for Diane.

She is a f***ing icon.

(APPLAUSE AND LOUD CHEERING)

(CHANTING) Diane! Diane!

Diane! Diane! Diane! Diane!

(CHANTING FADES)

(MUSIC)

MAN:
Hold it right there, friend.

(MUSIC)

We've been looking for you.

- That right?

- Not just us.

Got to be at least

eight bounties on your head.

We intend to collect on all of 'em.

What?

Do you think you can keep

running like this forever?

You can't outrun destiny, amigo.

And they call you "The Hero."

But we know who you really are.

(TENSE MUSIC)

DIRECTOR ON RADIO: And that's a cut.

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