Read Time Well Spent Page 9


  That’s the tea.

  She EXITS the dining room.

  SETH

  (calling after her)

  And stupid was putting salt on the meat!

  CUT TO:

  Anna, ENTERING the dining room from the kitchen, carrying a

  small TEA TRAY with two CUPS.

  ANNA

  Seth?

  POV - ANNA

  The meat’s on the table; Seth is gone.

  EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - NIGHT

  The rain is coming down hard. Seth is not dressed for this. His head down, his hands in his pockets, he walks along

  these lonely avenues. A CAR passing too close to the curb

  splashes him. He keeps walking. Another, larger CAR passing

  too close splashes him. He keep walking. A small TRUCK

  momentarily veers onto the wrongside of the road, passes

  too close to the curb and really splashes him. This makes

  him stop.

  SETH

  (to himself, heavenward)

  Oh, come on!

  He continues walking. A COMPACT CAR slowly approaches and

  follows him. Seth turns and yells at the driver.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  Go ahead and splash me. Everyone else is!

  The front passnger side window rolls down. Anna’s behind

  the wheel.

  ANNA

  Seth, it’s me.

  SETH

  I know!

  ANNA

  I’m sorry I called you stupid. Now

  please get in the car. It’s five miles to

  your house--you’ll catch the cold.

  SETH

  No, you get out and walk with me.

  ANNA

  I can’t.

  SETH

  Why?

  ANNA

  It’s cold and wet. Think of my nipples.

  He smiles a little.

  ANNA (CONT’D)

  That’s right--I said it. Nip-ples. I see

  you’re smiling, that always cheers you up.

  SETH

  Maybe a little...(beat)...I guess.

  They both stop. He opens the unlocked door. He gets in.

  INT. ANNA’S CAR - EVENING

  He closes the door.

  ANNA

  C’mon. I’ll take you home with me first

  to dry off.

  INT. ANNA’S HOUSE. ANNA’S ROOM - EVENING

  Seth, still morose, is standing in the middle of her room,

  dripping on her carpet. Anna ENTERS, carrying a fresh

  BLANKET. She drapes it over him and gently leads him to her

  BED. Seth approaches the bed but stops shy of sitting on it.

  SETH

  No. I don’t deserve to sit; I should

  stand. No. I don’t deserve to stand; I

  should kneel.

  He kneels down at Anna’s feet.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  Kneel against this bed.

  He leans back, resting against the bed.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  Lysandra and I--we’ve been together ever

  since we discovered that our bodies have

  interconnecting parts. I’m a failure. If

  this is over--if we are over--I’d have

  wasted my entire life. (beat) How are you

  suppose to start over?

  There’s almost anger building in Anna’s voice:

  ANNA

  Goddamnit, you’re such a great guy; why

  can’t you see that?

  Seth is tuning her out.

  SETH

  I just want to be the man she’d want me

  to be.

  ANNA

  What’s wrong with who you are?

  She wraps her arms around his head and slowly brings them

  closer to each other. He softly resists.

  SETH

  Oh, no, don’t hug me. Then--

  His face is now buried in her chest. He embraces her,

  wrapping his arms around her waist.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  (slightly muffled)

  You’re hugging me now.

  EXT. MANN'S THEATER - EVENING

  INSERT SHOT - MOVIE POSTER

  It’s a poster for the new Zac Efron movie: “HOW I

  GOT THE GIRL”--just a stupid romcom. Underneath it is a little slide-in panel proclaiming: “PREMIERE.”

  WIDE OUT

  Seth, Anna and Russ are in the ticket line. Russ has

  several BOXES OF CANDY in his hands.

  RUSS

  Quick, Anna, shove these Ju-ju Bees in

  your panties. We’ll smuggle them in.

  Anna opens her PURSE.

  ANNA

  Y’know, I have plenty of room in my

  purse.

  RUSS

  Yeah, I know. I just wanted to see if

  you’d do it--

  (turns to Seth)

  This is just like old times.

  CLOSE SHOT - SETH

  He’s looking at the timetable over the ticketcounter, his

  attention diverted.

  SETH

  Yeah. And you used to say you were going

  to get something out of the car and not

  return until we bought your ticket--

  He turns to Russ again.

  BACK TO SCENE

  Russ is gone.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  Russ?

  (looks around Anna)

  Russ?

  Anna turns.

  ANNA

  I knew I just felt a breeze.

  INT. MANN'S THEATER - EVENING

  The three are watching the movie, munching POPCORN, ETC.

  Anna leans over to Seth.

  ANNA (CONT’D)

  (whispering)

  Is this the movie where the girl’s

  father’s against her relationship or the

  one where the girl’s girlfriends are

  against the relationship or are the

  guy’s guy friends against the relation

  or does the guy already have a girlfriend

  who he’s trying to stay loyal to but is

  finding it hard because she’s not his

  soulmate?

  SETH

  (whispering)

  Why do you even pay to go to movies?

  Russ releases an exaggerated “shh” that’s noiser than both

  of them.

  ANNA

  (simultaneously whispering)

  Sorry.

  SETH

  (simultaneously whispering)

  Sorry.

  The two giggle a little. We PAN OVER to Stoners Jeff and

  Steve, who are seated several rows behind them. They have

  plenty of SNACKS, what with the marijuana use and all.

  STONER STEVE

  You never see Mila Kunis in teen movies--

  I mean, almost never. She never did teen

  movies.

  STONER JEFF

  Oh, you know she has a penis.

  STONER STEVE

  Who?

  STONER JEFF

  Mila Kunis.

  STONER STEVE

  "That 70s Show's" Mila Kunis? The 2012

  Esquire sexiest woman alive--she has a

  penis?

  STONER JEFF

  I'm telling you, Mila Kunis has a penis.

  STONER STEVE

  She does not!

  STONER JEFF

  She does! That's why she had a body

  doub
le for "Friends With Benefits"; she

  was concerned people would see her Polish

  sausage.

  STONER STEVE

  Hey, Anna! Is it true? Does Mila Kunis

  have a penis?

  ANNA (O.S.)

  Not all us Russian chicks know each

  other! And yes! Yes, she does!

  Seth turns his head.

  SETH

  What? Do you guys just follow us around?

  STONER STEVE

  (guiltily)

  We’re trying to expand our clique.

  EXT. MANN'S THEATER - NIGHT

  INSERT - MOVIE POSTER

  The poster holder is swung open. A hand slides out the

  “PREMIERE” card and slides in one saying “NOW PLAYING.” It

  then slides out the poster and slides in a POSTER FOR AN

  ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MOVIE.

  WIDE OUT

  Seth and Anna EXIT the theater.

  ANNA

  Where’s Russ?

  SETH

  Oh, he got a text while you were in the

  bathroom. He left early to get a booty

  call from Teri. Or she’s giving him a

  booty call. I don’t know--one thing’s

  certain: A booty will be called.

  ANNA

  I guess some people just can’t appreciate

  the genius of Zac Efron

  SETH

  Definetly. He’s like a young John Cusack.

  But without the creepy sister.

  They step onto the boulevard.

  EXT. HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD - NIGHT

  Seth and Anna are walking along the Walk of Fame.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  I love Hollywood at night.

  ANNA

  Yeah.

  There’s a drunk VAGRANT passed out on the middle of the

  sidewalk. They stop. Seth stretches his legs wide and steps

  over the wino. Then he holds out his hand to Anna. She

  takes it, and he assists her step over him like a pond.

  ANNA (CONT’D)

  Thank you.

  They keep on writing. They’re about to pass a young bareankled man wearing a tightly bound BROWN TRENCHCOAT--obviously a FLASHER.

  FLASHER

  Hey, buddy.

  They both stop and face him.

  FLASHER (CONT’D)

  Look at this.

  REAR SHOT - FLASHER

  He unfurls his coat and spreads his arms out wide. Anna is

  shielding her eyes, and Seth is staring at it.

  ONE SHOT - FLASHER

  He’s dressed but wearing SHORTS. On the lining of the coat is attached a dozen SCREENPLAYS.

  BACK TO SCENE

  FLASHER (CONT’D)

  Wanna buy a screenplay? How ‘bout a nice

  romantic comedy?

  He removes a screenplay from the coat.

  FLASHER (CONT’D)

  I’ll option it to you for just five-

  figures!

  He holds it out to Anna. Seth tries to help her divert her

  eyes.

  SETH

  Don’t look, Anna--that’s what he wants!

  Seth grabs her forearm and hurriedly gets them away from

  the flasher.

  FLASHER

  (holding the script up, calling

  after them)

  It’ll be perfect for Julia Roberts!

  He gives up. They’re gone. He turns and sees someone off-

  screen.

  FLASHER (CONT’D)

  Hey, lady! You a producer?

  Script high in hand, he runs off-screen.

  INT. SETH’S HOUSE. SETH’S ROOM - PROM NIGHT

  ONE SHOT - SETH

  He’s wearing his TUX. This is the best he’s ever looked in

  his life.

  SETH

  Oh my God. You look so good. Someone

  should call heaven, because there’s an

  angel missing!

  Anna, wearing her PROM DRESS, appears behind him.

  ANNA

  Seth, if you’re done, Teri and Russ are

  waiting downstairs.

  WIDE OUT

  Seth’s checking himself out in a full-length MIRROR.

  SETH

  I’ll be down in a minute.

  Anna EXITS. Seth turns, bends his knees and begins to check

  out his butt in the mirror, feeling himself.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  (to himself)

  I’d like to go home with that tonight--

  wait! I will be!

  INT. SETH’S HOUSE. LIVING ROOM - PROM NIGHT

  Seth ENTERS. Anna and Teri are lounging about. Russ is

  wearing the whole prom getup--including the TOP HAT, SCARF

  and a wand-like CANE, which he’s twirling around like a

  baton.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  Russ. You have a cane. Why do you have a

  cane?

  Russ walks the short distance to him and taps him on the

  chest with the tip.

  RUSS

  I think the question is: Why don’t you

  have a cane?

  SETH

  Touché.

  SFX - CAR HORN

  SETH (CONT’D)

  That’s Derek and his date.

  (to everyone)

  “Everybody ready? Cuz here we go!”

  EXT. SETH’S HOUSE. FRONT DOOR - PROM NIGHT

  Seth closes the door behind them.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  (to everyone)

  Y’know what? We look so good, let’s walk

  in slow motion like in “The Matrix.”

  Walking in slow motion, they gradually make their way to

  the LIMO parked outside. A KID on a TRICYCLE crosses their

  path.

  INT. THE LIMO. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT - PROM NIGHT

  They all ENTER and sit. Derek and his date, RACHELLE, are

  already inside.

  RACHELLE

  (aside to Derek, softly)

  Why does that white boy have a cane?

  Derek shrugs his shoulders.

  DEREK

  (aside to Rachelle, mouthing)

  I don’t know.

  They’re all in now. The door shuts.

  DEREK (CONT’D)

  Guys, this is Rachelle.

  They all greet each other.

  RUSS

  (to the limo driver)

  Yo, Dudley! Dudley!

  The driver, STEVE, turns.

  STEVE

  My name is Steve.

  RUSS

  Did I ask for your name?

  He picks an ICE CUBE out of the MINIBAR BIN and tosses it

  across the limo, through the open divider, whacking Steve

  on the back of his head.

  RUSS (CONT’D)

  Drive!

  The limo pulls away from the curb.

  RUSS (CONT’D)

  And put up that privacy screen. Because

  if the limo’s a rockin’...

  SETH

  (simultaneously)

  ...don’t come a knockin’.

  ANNA

  (simultaneously)

  ...don’t come a knockin’.

  DEREK

  (simultaneously)

  ...don’t come a knockin’.

  RACHELLE

  (simultaneously)

  ...don’t come a knockin’.

  RUSS

  (simultaneously)

  ...don’t c
ome a knockin’.

  TERI

  (simultaneously)

  ...don’t come a knockin’.

  They all break out in laughter. The privacy screen slowly

  begins to rise. Before it is completely up, another ICE

  CUBE comes flying through, hitting Steve on the back of his

  head.

  STEVE

  (to himself)

  The first tree I see, I’m wrapping us

  around.

  INT. LIMOUSINE. PASSENGER’S COMPARTMENT - PROM NIGHT

  The limo slows down.

  ANNA

  Why are we slowing down?

  The limo stops.

  ANNA (CONT’D)

  Why did we stop?

  SFX - TAPPING ON THE WINDOW

  Seth lowers the window several inches; a white LAPD

  OFFICER, CHEWING gum loudly, is shining his FLASHLIGHT in

  Derek’s face.

  LAPD OFFICER

  Good evening. Let’s see some license and

  registration.

  There’s an awkward moment of silence for everyone.

  ANNA

  This is a limo. We rented it.

  The officer turns his light on Anna.

  LAPD OFFICER

  Was I talking to you, pinko? That’s

  right. If you don’t like it, go back to

  China.

  He turns his light to a large GREEN-TINTED BOTTLE on ice.

  LAPD OFFICER (CONT’D)

  What’s that, champagne, is it?

  RACHELLE

  That’s Martinelli’s.