Tin Men Page #24

BB takes the toast out of the toaster.

BB:

I'm just trying to be honest.

It's been on my mind... on my

conscience.

He picks up a plate.

BB:

This plate yours or mine?

NORA:

Why don't you take both...

maybe you can choke to death

on one of them.

BB takes one of the plates and goes toward the table.

Nora watches him a beat, amazed that he doesn't seem to

recognize the seriousness of the situation.

(CONTINUED)

150.

143 CONTINUED:
(3) 143

NORA:

(angry)

How can you be so... how can you

not understand how wrong that is?

I can't understand that mentality!

Shoot pool for me! It's insane.

BB dips his toast into his eggs.

BB:

Tilley is not the most rational

man in this world. I tried to

talk to him... he wouldn't

listen. So, what are my options?

You know what I'm saying? What

are my options?

NORA:

I can't believe you had to shoot

pool! Don't you understand that

... don't you understand how

crazy that is? You're sitting

there... you're eating your eggs

as if it's normal business in

life here! Like feudal lords or

something you used to read about

in history books.

BB:

All right, I'm sorry.

Beat.

NORA:

What happened?

BB:

I lost.

He dips more toast into his eggs and eats.

NORA:

You lost?

BB:

I blew the eight ball.

NORA:

You lost?

BB:

Yeah.

(CONTINUED)

151.

143 CONTINUED:
(4) 143

NORA:

What does that mean?

BB:

It means I'm supposed to give

you up, and I'm never supposed

to see you again.

NORA:

Will you stop eating the eggs for

a minute! How can you tell me

things like this and casually eat

your eggs?! What does this mean,

Bill?

BB:

Well, I'm supposed to give you

up as part of honoring that

agreement, but I'm not that

honorable a guy.

He smiles, takes a quick sip of his coffee.

BB:

I gotta go.

NORA:

Why are you running off so fast

here?

BB:

I told you, I got some business

downtown.

He gives her a kiss. Starts to go, turns back, gives

her another kiss, more passionate this time.

BB:

I'll see you later.

He goes down the hall to walk out the front door.

144 EXT. BB'S APARTMENT - FRONT DOOR - DAY 144

Nora walks behind him, stands and watches him go out the

door and down the front steps. He gets into his car and

drives off. Nora stands at the door watching the car

drive away.

CUT TO:

152.

145 EXT. DOWNTOWN STREET - DAY 145

Tilley pulls his Cadillac into a parking space just alittle up the street from the tobacco warehouse whichhouses the Home Improvement Commission. He gets outof his car, locks the door and starts down the street.

BB's car drives past Tilley. CAMERA FOLLOWS BB's car

as he pulls into a parking space close to the Commissionbuilding.

CUT TO:

146 INT. TOBACCO WAREHOUSE - DAY 146

Corridor off the main hearing room. The hearing is notyet in session. Tilley sits on a bench against a wall.

He glances up, his eyes drop and then he looks ACROSSCAMERA. CAMERA PANS TO the opposite side of the corridor

where BB sits on another bench against a wall. BB

glances off at Tilley and then drops his eyes. CAMERA

PANS BACK TO Tilley. A few beats go by. Both men are

uncomfortable with one another's presence.

TILLEY:

(finally, to BB)

You gotta testify, huh?

You?

BB:

Yeah.

TILLEY:

BB:

You got a lawyer?

TILLEY:

Nah. I already testified once.

I beat 'em before, I'll beat 'em

again.

(beat)

You got a high-priced mouthpieceto speak for ya?

BB:

I don't need one.

to win.

I don't expect

How so?

TILLEY:

BB:

I gave them some prettyincriminating evidence.

(CONTINUED)

153.

146 CONTINUED:

TILLEY:

You gave them evidence?

BB:

The only way I could think to get

out of this business.

He smiles.

TILLEY:

(points, laughing)

Hey, that's good... that's good,

yeah.

There's activity in the hallway.

VOICE (O.S.)

The hearing for the Home Improvement

Commission is now in session.

Tilley stands.

TILLEY:

(to BB)

So... how's Nora?

BB:

She's doin' all right.

A MAN comes out of the hearing room.

MAN:

Ernest Tilley?

TILLEY:

Yeah... here.

(turns to BB)

Take good care of her.

CUT TO:

147 INT. TOBACCO WAREHOUSE - LONG SHOT OF HEARING ROOM - DAY 147

of the Home Improvement Commission. Five or six

commissioners are behind a long table, led by John

Masters, there is a gallery of observers, and Tilley

sits at the defense table across from the commissioners.

MASTERS:

(into microphone)

Are you aware that that's a

violation of sections 258 and

261?

(CONTINUED)

154.

147 CONTINUED:
147

TILLEY:

I'm not aware of the section

numbers. Sometimes you get a

little overzealous in the heat of

the sales pitch, that's all.

BB is watching the proceedings. CAMERA HOLDS ON him.

MASTERS (O.S.)

Was it the heat of the sales pitch

on February 23rd of this year that

made you write across a contract

'This Job Is Free'?

ON TILLEY:

who is falling apart.

TILLEY:

As I remember, no sale was made

concerning those customers.

MASTERS:

It fell out because a loan couldn't

be arranged, but the people did

agree in principle.

(beat)

The point that we'd like to stress,

is that you misled these people.

Told them the job was free. Then

you sent in your closer with some

cover story about how you had

suffered a nervous breakdown, and

a sale was ultimately made for

twenty-three hundred and seventy-

seven dollars. That is misleading

and deceptive sales practice.

TILLEY:

It was temporary insanity. I

don't know... it just came over me

... it might have been something

I ate. I don't know... it was

crazy, I'm the first to admit it

was a crazy thing to do. Believe

me...

(CONTINUED)

155.

147 CONTINUED:
(2) 147

MASTERS:

(cutting him off)

We have other specific examples of

deceptive sales practices on your

behalf concerning a job carried

out on December 11, 1962. You

violated sections 241 and 247.

And concerning a job sold to Mr.

and Mrs. DeFranco on October 9,

1962, violations of sections 251

and 257 took place.

TILLEY:

What are all these numbers here?

I'm not familiar with all these

section violations.

ON BB:

who is watching the proceedings intently.

MASTERS (O.S.)

It is the feeling of this commission

that these infractions are severe

violations of the Home Improvement

Laws, and therefore constitute

misuse of the license to sell

aluminum siding as approved by this

state.

CAMERA ON MASTERS

MASTERS:

It is the decision of this

commission to revoke your license

to sell aluminum siding...

CAMERA ON TILLEY

He's not very happy.

MASTERS (O.S.)

... Which will prohibit you from

practicing in the state of

Maryland.

TILLEY:

Are you sure? Maybe the guys

want to think this over.

(CONTINUED)

156.

147 CONTINUED:
(3)

BACK TO MASTERS:

147

MASTERS:

Thank you, Mr. Tilley. You mayhand over your license to theclerk of the commission on your

way out.

TILLEY:

gets up from the table and goes to the back of the roomto exit the building. He stops at a desk just insidethe door where the clerk is sitting. Tilley pulls outhis wallet, takes out a small document, and throws it

down on the desk. He exits the building.

CUT TO:

148 INT. TOBACCO WAREHOUSE - DAY 148

Same as before, except now we see Stanley enter and sitamongst the observers.

ANGLE ON MASTERS

MASTERS:

Will Mr. William Babowski pleasecome forward.

BB walks over to the defense table and sits down.

MASTERS:

You have the right to have alawyer present if you so wish.

BB:

I do not wish.

CUT TO:

149 EXT. TOBACCO WAREHOUSE - DAY 149

Tilley walks down the street toward his car. Suddenlyhe realizes that there's an empty space and his car is

gone. Tilley's a little confused, thinking that perhapshe parked elsewhere. A YOUNG BLACK KID walks up toTilley.

(CONTINUED)

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