The Hustler Page #5

EDDIE:

(to the attendant)

Give me a towel, will ya?

The attendant, whose every move seems to require a tremendous effort,

shuffles over and grabs a towel as Eddie removes his jacket.

DISSOLVE TO:

27INT. BUS STATION - EARLY MORNING

Near the row of coin lockers in the waiting room is a small lunch

counter and several tables. At one table, facing the lockers, is a

young woman, Sarah: a book is open before her, and a cup of coffee, and

an ashtray filled with cigarette butts. She looks up for an instant as

Eddie appears. He now has on a clean shirt and is clean and freshly

shaven. He locks his bags in a locker. Her eyes return to the printed

page. Moving toward the counter, Eddie notices Sarah. He goes to the

lunch counter, still looking at her. He sniffs some wrapped sandwiches.

WAITRESS:

Can I get you something?

EDDIE:

Later.

Eddie wanders over to a table next to Sarah's and sits down. She

ignores him.

EDDIE:

Long wait for a bus?

SARAH:

(looks up)

Yes.

She returns to her reading. Eddie keeps looking at her. Her hair is

brown, cut short, practically straight. Her lips are pale and thin, and

the bone structure of her face, although delicate, is much in evidence.

There is a suggestion of tired wakefulness, of self-sufficiency, about

her. And a frank, open regard which has nothing in it to imply

flirtation -- or the lack of it.

EDDIE:

How long you been waiting?

SARAH:

(looking up)

What?

EDDIE:

How long have you been waiting?

SARAH:

Since four.

Sarah goes back to reading. The waitress arrives to take Eddie's order.

EDDIE:

(to the waitress)

Just a cup of black coffee, please ...

(the waitress starts to go)

Hey, ma'am! Wait a minute!

(to Sarah)

Would you, uh, like another cup?

SARAH:

(shrugs)

Fine, thanks.

Eddie holds up two fingers to the waitress, who departs.

EDDIE:

What time does the bus leave?

SARAH:

What bus?

EDDIE:

Yours.

SARAH:

Eight o'clock.

Eddie sighs.

SARAH:

That wouldn't give us much time, would it?

EDDIE:

(amused)

Well, you're right. I guess it wouldn't.

The coffee comes.

EDDIE:

(making a toast)

Hello and goodbye ...

Eddie leans back against the wall and shuts his eyes.

EDDIE:

(after a long pause)

Have a nice trip.

SARAH:

Thanks. I will.

He slips off to sleep. The waitress brings a check.

SARAH:

Give it to me.

She looks at Eddie anxiously as she digs in her purse for the coins.

She pays, collects her purse and book, and rises to leave. Eddie

doesn't stir.

CUT TO:

28 INT. BUS STATION LUNCH COUNTER - MORNING

The public address system bleats over the noise of the crowded

luncheonette. The waitress leans over and slaps Eddie on the shoulder.

He wakes up with a cramped neck.

EDDIE:

How much do I owe you?

WAITRESS:

It was paid for ... by the lady.

DISSOLVE TO:

29INT. BAR AND GRILL - NOON

The bar is nearly empty when Eddie comes in.

EDDIE:

(to the bartender)

Give me some bourbon. J. T. S. Brown.

BARTENDER:

You want a chaser?

EDDIE:

No.

As he looks around the bar he sees Sarah, alone at a back booth,

sipping a highball. She seems amused by their encounter. So does he. He

takes his drink and joins her at the booth.

EDDIE:

Have a nice trip?

SARAH:

Fair.

EDDIE:

Can I sit down?

SARAH:

Why not? We already know each other's secrets.

EDDIE:

(after he sits)

Thanks for the, uh, for the breakfast.

SARAH:

Two ships that pass in the night should always

buy each other breakfast.

EDDIE:

Can I buy you another drink?

Sarah nods.

EDDIE:

(calls to the bartender)

Hey, another one for me and another one for

the lady.

BARTENDER:

Check!

EDDIE:

You look different ... More relaxed.

SARAH:

It's the lights. And the scotch.

EDDIE:

How come you didn't catch your bus?

SARAH:

I wasn't waiting for a bus.

EDDIE:

Then why go to the bus station?

SARAH:

Same reason you went: at that hour of the

morning you haven't much choice. Besides, I

only live three blocks from there. Where do you

live?

EDDIE:

Around.

SARAH:

I know where you live: in a locker, in a bus

station. What's it like living in a locker?

EDDIE:

Cramped.

(she smiles)

You always drink like this, so early in the

morning?

SARAH:

Do you always ask so many questions?

EDDIE:

No, not always.

SARAH:

Sometimes I wake up and I can't sleep, not

without a drink. The bars don't open until

eight. Mack over there has faith in me. When

I'm broke, he trusts me. Don't you trust me,

Mack?

BARTENDER:

Check!

SARAH:

When I'm not broke, I usually have a bottle in

my room, in which case I sleep very well indeed.

EDDIE:

You talk kind of funny, but I like it.

SARAH:

I used to be an actress.

EDDIE:

Yeah? What do you do now?

SARAH:

I'm a college girl. Two days a week, Tuesdays

and Thursdays, I go to college.

EDDIE:

You don't look like a college girl.

SARAH:

I'm the emancipated type. Real emancipated.

EDDIE:

No, I didn't mean that -- whatever that means.

I mean, you just don't look young enough.

SARAH:

I'm not.

EDDIE:

So why go to college?

SARAH:

I've got nothing else to do on Tuesdays and

Thursdays.

EDDIE:

What do you do on the other days?

SARAH:

I drink.

EDDIE:

(to the bartender)

Hey!

SARAH:

No. No more. I'm getting sleepy.

(puts a scarf around her head)

Thank you very much, Mr... ?

EDDIE:

Eddie. The name is Eddie.

SARAH:

(studies his face)

The name should be Eddie. What should my name

be?

EDDIE:

I don't know. Whatever you like it to be.

SARAH:

I like it to be what it is. It's Sarah. That's

a biblical name. You want to know its meaning?

EDDIE:

I could always get us a bottle.

SARAH:

(a little alarmed)

No.

EDDIE:

Fifth of scotch?

SARAH:

What do you want me to do, just step out in the

alley? Is that it?

EDDIE:

No. I'll take you home.

There is a long pause as she tries to read his face.

SARAH:

All right.

Eddie finishes his drink, rises, crosses to the bar, pays the bill, and

returns to the booth. As they go out, Sarah stumbles, and he catches

her by the arm.

SARAH:

It's all right.

(smiling)

I'm not drunk ...

(serious)

I'm lame.

Eddie pauses a moment to register this as she limps off, then follows.

DISSOLVE TO:

30 EXT. CITY STREET - MIDDAY

Eddie goes into the liquor store. Sarah waits outside, stiff and uneasy.

Then he comes out with the scotch and they walk off down the street

together. They walk slowly, with their eyes pointed straight ahead. He

tries to ignore her halting gait. They pass under the awning of the

neighborhood's elegant Parisien restaurant.

DISSOLVE TO:

31INT. HALLWAY OF APARTMENT HOUSE - MIDDAY

As she searches through her purse for her keys, he reaches out and puts

his hand on her shoulder. She closes her eyes, then draws back against

the door, fearful, like a threatened animal.

SARAH:

Why me?

He takes her head in his hands and kisses her. She responds but, as he

holds her tighter, she starts to struggle.

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