The Shape of Water Page #3

High-voltage electric shock cattle

prod- That's for you to know, not

to tell.

You can hear his stream bouncing off the tile. ZELDA winces,

looks at Elisa.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

I’m Strickland. Security.

ZELDA:

Fleming's security.

STRICKLAND:

Not while I’m here.

On the stressed word, a momentary hitch in his stream.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

Saw you both at T-4.

ZELDA:

We’re cleared, Sir.

STRICKLAND:

I know. I checked.

(beat)

Doesn’t it get lonely? The

graveyard shift?

ZELDA:

Gets quiet. That’s for sure.

She offers him a clean towel. “NO”

STRICKLAND:

Man washes his hands before or

after tending to his needs. That

tells you a lot about that man.

(beat)

He does it both times? Points to a

weakness of character...

Picks up the rod. Weirdly beams at the two cleaners.

STRICKLAND (CONT’D)

Ladies? Very pleasant chatting with

you both.

Elisa notices a small drop of Red blood left behind by the

cattle prod. It lazily extends on the wet, white surface ofthe sink.

CUT TO:

19A OMITTED 19A

19B INT. “B” CORRIDOR - SAME 19B

SWEET LORRAINE by Jon Erik Kellso starts.

Elisa stands in front of door T-4. She takes out her

clearance card and is about to use it but stops.

The door opens. It’s HOFFSTETLER.

HOFFSTETLER:

May I help you?

He removes surgical gloves. She moves back.

HOFFSTETLER (CONT’D)

Oh! You're... not in uniform- Did

you forget something-? Inside?

She signs:
“Excuse me” And walks away.

HOFFSTETLER (CONT’D)

Wait- Wait!

Hoffstetler watches her go

19C INT. BUS -DAWN 19C

Elisa leans her head on the window. Dawn bathes her. The

light grows and grows- cleansing and magical.

DISSOLVE TO:

20 EXT. STREETS OF BALTIMORE - EARLY MORNING 20

Busy streets. A VAN Pulls up- Out climb Giles and Elisa.

GILES:

Yeah. I’m wearing the hair. Watch

out for that car...

Giles straightens his toupee (now on his head) Elisa signs.

GILES (CONT'D)

Does it look good?

They cross the street towards “DIXIE DOUG PIES.”

CUT TO:

21 INT. “DIXIE DOUG PIES” DINER - DAY 21

Giles and Elisa stand before a glass and Stainless-steel, PIE

VENDING COLUMN/DISPLAY.

GILES:

It was eternal, see? Tantalus never

even achieved the escape of death.

The fruit on the branches was

always just out of reach...

His gaze drifts subtly to the PIE GUY at the register. He’smanly, masculine, like a construction worker. With pie.

PIE GUY (O.S.)

Thank yeew. Y’all come back,

y’heah?

Elisa watches Giles watching the guy, his glances filled with

longing.

GILES:

...the water in the stream always

receded just when he stooped to

drink. And that's why we say things

like, look at those tantalizing

pies—

(Elisa signs)

(MORE)

GILES (CONT'D)

I don’t like the colors either, but

they taste alright. Try it. My

treat. You want cold milk?

At the COUNTER:

PIE GUY:

Welcome to Dixie Doug’s, folks.

That’ll be all?

GILES:

For the moment.

PIE GUY:

Hey- I’ve seen you in here before,

right?

GILES:

Oh, well- I- yes- I’ve been here. Acouple of times as a matter of

fact.

PIE GUY:

Partial to key lime pie?

GILES:

A craving I indulge in. It cannotpossibly be good for me. Nothing I

like is...

PIE GUY:

Oh, no- It’s a mighty fine pie, keylime.

GILES:

And the color is so vivid!!

PIE GUY:

Vivid! Now, there’s a word Ithere’s

a word for ya...

GILES:

A vivid word! It most certainly is.

Elisa rolls her eyes.

GILES (CONT'D)

And would you be the famous “Dixie

Doug” himself?

PIE GUY:

Heck, no. Pies are trucked down

throughout the country. It's called“franchising”, see?

(MORE)

PIE GUY (CONT'D)

There’s thirty-two Dixie Doug’s all

over the country.

He indicates the illuminated glass column that rotates to

display the pies. He shrugs.

PIE GUY (CONT’D)

They give us the spinners, the

signage- That there’s “Pie Boy” our

mascot. They tell us what we gotta

say— What to wear and such— there's

a manual lays it all out. They

figured out what people like,

scientifically. I don't really talk

that way, I'm from Ottawa.

GILES:

You had me completely fooled.

(beat)

“That’s-a-great-a-pie...” The

Little guy is Italian is he?!

PIE GUY:

I guess so-

GILES:

How clever!

He watches Pie Guy pack them up, admiring his muscular arms.

Finished, Pie Guy looks up smiling.

PIE GUY:

Well, Thank yewww. Y'all come back

now, y'heah?

EXT. GILES’ APARTMENT -DAY 22

They eat their pie and watch NAME THAT PRICE (or any

morn/noon game show). Cats beg for pie.

GILES:

“Y’all come back” Do you think he

meant it? He had noticed me- you

heard that yourself.

Elisa rolls her eyes. Stops eating.

GILES (CONT’D)

Well, this pie is rather sordid,

but- Don’t spit it out-We could

try a different flavor next time.

17

Elisa hands him the half-eaten pie and wipes her green tongue

w a napkin.

GILES (CONT’D)

Well- you wanna save it- for later?

Elisa channel-surfs: EARLY CIVIL RIGHTS PROTESTS ON THE NEWS.

He puts the pie away in the fridge- (We see that there are

about half a dozen half-eaten multi-colored pie slices) He

pours the rest of the milk on a cat’s plate.

GILES (CONT’D)

(looks at TV protests)

Dear God- Change that awfulness-I

don’t want to see all that-

ELISA CHANGES CHANNELS to Betty Grable Dances PRETTY BABY

from Coney Island. GILES moves the antenna around until theimage is clear. Elisa gives him “thumbs up”

GILES (CONT’D)

There- Now- That’s better... Oh,

would you look at Betty! To be

young and beautiful. If I could

take this brain of mine- this heart-

and put in it- If I could go backin time, when I was eighteen- I

didn’t know anything about anything-

I- would give myself a bit ofadvice, I tell you-

He sighs. She signs.

GILES (CONT’D)

I’d say:
Take better care of yourteeth and f***. A lot more.

She elbows him.

GILES (CONT'D)

It’s very good advice

While sitting, he tap-dances. Elisa joins him in a beautiful,

little foot choreography- without leaving the sofa. Music

overpowers the upcoming scene.

CUT TO:

23 INT. ELISA’S APARTMENT - NIGHT 23

Alarm goes off:
10:45 PM. Elisa opens her eyes. Gets up.

EGG TIMER in the F.G. In the B.G. Elisa taking care of

business in the bathtub

BOILING EGGS:

Calendar ripping

SHINING SHOES. PUTTING THEM ON.

24-26A OMITTED 24-26A

26B INT. BUS - SAME 26B

Elisa leans on the seat in front of her on the bus

ZELDA:

(prelap)

Short people are mean. Mean...

27 INT. LONG CORRIDOR - SAME 27

Zelda empties the WASTE BASKETS in the corridor.

ZELDA:

Short people are mean... mean...

You listen to me- they have agrudge- a big chip on their tinylittle shoulders. I’ve never met a

short man that stays nice all theway through, no, Sir- mean littlebackstabbers, all of ‘em. Maybe

it’s the air down there, not enoughoxygen or something.

ELISA, sweeps - Keeping an eye on - T-4.

ZELDA (CONT’D)

My Brewster- he’s no Towering Titan-

and he never raises his chin. He

gets angry- you get the eyes. Butthe chin stays down...

They hear gunshots. And screams. Muffled voices.

T-4! The door bursts open.

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