True Romance Page #11

CLARENCE:

I finally knew what I wanted when I grew up.

LATER - LIVING ROOM

Clarence and Alabama slow dance in the middle of his room to Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart".

CLARENCE:

You know when you sat behind me?

ALABAMA:

At the movies?

CLARENCE:

Uh-huh, I was tryin' to think of somethin' to say to you, then I thought,

she doesn't want me bothering her.

ALABAMA:

What would make you think that?

CLARENCE:

I dunno. I guess I'm just stupid.

ALABAMA:

You're not stupid. Just wrong.

They move to the music. Alabama softly, quietly sings some of the words to the song.

ALABAMA:

I love Janis.

CLARENCE:

You know, a lot of people have misconceptions of how she died.

ALABAMA:

She OD'd, didn't she?

CLARENCE:

Yeah, she OD'd. But wasn't on her last legs or anythin'. She didn't take

too much. It shouldn't have killed her. There was somethin' wrong with what

she took.

ALABAMA:

You mean she got a bad batch?

CLARENCE:

That's what happened. In fact, when she died, it was considered to be the

happiest time of her life. She'd been f***ed over so much by men she didn't

trust them. She was havin' this relationship with this guy and he asked her

to marry him. Now, other people had asked to marry her before, but she

couldn't be sure whether they really loved her or were just after her

money. So, she said no. And the guy says, "Look, I really love you, and I

wanna prove it. So have your lawyers draw up a paper that says no matter

what happens, I can never get any of your money, and I'll sign it." So she

did, and he asked her, and she said yes. And once they were engaged he told

her a secret about himself that she never knew: he was a millionaire.

ALABAMA:

So he really loved her?

CLARENCE:

Uh-huh.

They kiss.

INT. CLARENCE'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY

It's the next day, around 1 p.m. Clarence wakes up in his bed, alone. He looks around, and no Alabama. Then he hears crying in the distance. He puts on a robe and investigates.

INT. CLARENCE'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Alabama's wearing one of Clarence's old shirts. She's curled up in a chair crying. Clarence approaches her. She tries to compose herself.

CLARENCE:

What's wrong, sweetheart? Did I do something? What did I do?

ALABAMA:

You didn't do nothing.

CLARENCE:

Did you hurt yourself?

(he takes her foot)

Whatd'ya do? Step on a thumbtack?

ALABAMA:

Clarence, I've got something to tell you. I didn't just happen to be at the

theater. I was paid to be there.

CLARENCE:

What are you, a theater checker? You check up on the box office girls. Make

sure they're not rippin' the place off.

ALABAMA:

I'm not a theater checker. I'm a call girl.

Pause.

CLARENCE:

You're a whore?

ALABAMA:

I'm a call girl. There's a difference, ya know.

(pause)

I don't know. Maybe there's not. That place you took me to last night, that

comic book place.

CLARENCE:

"Heroes For Sale"?

ALABAMA:

Yeah, that one. Somebody who works there arranged to have me meet you.

CLARENCE:

Who?

ALABAMA:

I don't know. I didn't talk with them. The plan was for me to bump into

you, pick you up, spend the night, and skip out after you fell asleep. I

was gonna write you a note and say that this was my last day in America.

That I was leaving on a plane this morning up to Ukraine to marry a rich

millionaire, and thank you for making my last day in America my best day.

CLARENCE:

That dazzling imagination.

ALABAMA:

It's over on the TV. All it says is: "Dear Clarence." I couldn't write

anymore. I didn't not want to ever see you again. In fact, it's stupid not

to ever see you again. Las night... I don't know... I felt... I hadn't had

that much fun since Girl Scouts. So I just said, "Alabama, come clean, Let

him know what's what, and if he tells you to go f*** yourself then go back

to Drexl and f*** yourself."

CLARENCE:

Who and what is a Drexl?

ALABAMA:

My pimp.

CLARENCE:

You have a pimp?

ALABAMA:

Uh-huh.

CLARENCE:

A real live pimp?

ALABAMA:

Uh-huh.

CLARENCE:

Is he black?

ALABAMA:

He thinks he is. He says his mother was Apache, but I suspect he's lying.

CLARENCE:

Is he nice?

ALABAMA:

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to call him nice, but he's treated me pretty

decent. But I've only been there about four days. He got a little rough

with Arlene the other day.

CLARENCE:

What did he do to Arlene?

ALABAMA:

Slapped her around a little. Punched her in the stomch. It was pretty

scary.

CLARENCE:

This motherf***er sounds charming!

Clarence is on his feet, furious.

CLARENCE:

Goddamn it, Alabama, you gotta get the f*** outta there! How much longer

before he's slappin' you around? Punchin' you in the stomach? How the f***

did you get hooked up with a douche-bag like this in the first place?

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