Have Some Guts Read online



  Have Some Guts

  written by Justin Langer

  Copyright 2013

  All characters, products and events appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  FADE IN:

  EXT: PORTLAND, OREGON.

  A red 1987 Chrysler LeBaron cruises down Interstate 205.

  The grill is crushed into the radiator and the missing bumper exposes the car's rusted skeleton. The front windshield looks like it was recently torn off. Remnants of the black vinyl convertible roof flap in the breeze.

  KENNY GEE wears sunglasses as he drives the battered car. He is 25 years old, has short hair and a larger than average nose.

  CUT TO:

  EXT: CADILLAC JACK'S GRILL AND BAR.

  The red Chrysler pulls into a shaded parking spot in front of the restaurant. Kenny hops out of the car and walks towards the restaurant. He checks his watch.

  KENNY

  Right on, with time to spare.

  While strolling into the restaurant, he raises his right hand and presses the button on his keychain remote. The car alarm BLEEPS twice.

  CUT TO:

  INT: CADILLAC JACK'S. LOBBY.

  Kenny walks in and stands behind two BUTCH WOMEN next to the hostess podium. Both women are stout with short hair, and have RAINBOW tattoo's on their arms.

  A young, naïve Hostess smiles blankly at them.

  HOSTESS

  Good afternoon, gentlemen. Two for smoking or nonsmoking?

  BUTCH WOMAN #1

  Excuse me? What the hell did you just say to us?

  The Hostess expresses bewilderment for a moment.

  HOSTESS

  Oh, I am sorry. What was I thinking? We are no longer a smoking establishment. Nonsmoking it is, follow me guys!

  The Butch Women express complete disgust.

  BUTCH WOMAN #2

  Fuck this, we are outta here.

  They both turn and start to leave. The first Woman notices a tattoo on Kenny's arm.

  INSERT: TATTOO

  A rainbow connected by two capital letters, U and H.

  BACK TO SCENE

  The Woman speaks to Kenny.

  BUTCH WOMAN #1

  See what just happened? They are always discriminating against our kind. You don't hafta take this shit either!

  The Women storm out of the restaurant.

  Suddenly, a puzzled look crosses Kenny's face. He scrambles out of the door after the women.

  CUT TO:

  EXT: CADILLAC JACK'S.

  Kenny points at the tattoo and yells to the women.

  KENNY

  Hey! No! I am not gay! I went to University of Hawaii.

  BUTCH WOMAN #2

  Whatever pal, go ahead and live in denial.

  Kenny SIGHS and retreats back into the restaurant.

  CUT TO:

  INT: CADILLAC JACK'S. LOBBY.

  The Hostess still stands there bubbling with unexplainable excitement.

  HOSTESS

  I am so sorry. I didn't mean to upset your friends. I didn't realize you guys, err girls, I mean folks, were homosapien.

  KENNY

  What? Oh, you mean, homosexu- No! I am not gay! I never met them before in my life.

  Kenny closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

  KENNY

  Forget it. It's no big deal. I am here to speak to your manager, Hank. I have an interview at 3 'o' clock.

  HOSTESS

  Oh, no problem. Why didn't you just say so?

  She stands there smiling. Kenny politely motions for her to go get the manager. She disappears and returns with HANK. He is a balding middle-aged man with square glasses and a perfectly ironed crease above his brow. He reaches out and shakes Kenny's hand.

  HANK

  Glad you could make it, Kenny. Follow me.

  They walk into the dining room of the restaurant.

  CUT TO:

  INT: DINING ROOM.

  They sit at a table. Around them, a few tables are occupied with guests sitting and eating. Hank opens up a folder and flips through some papers.

  HANK

  I read through your application and it seems you have some of the qualifications we are looking for in a bartender here at Cadillac Jack's. Tell me about your last bartending job, won't you? And how do you pronounce your last name?

  KENNY

  It's Gee, like the letter G is pronounced. It should actually be Geen. But when my Grandfather originally came over to America from Poland, the lady filing his paperwork accidentally forgot to put the "N" at the end of his last name. So, he just left it.

  HANK

  Oh I see, Kenny Gee. Hey, just like that musician who plays the soprano saxophone. Don't tell anyone, but I think he's AWESOME! Do many people think you're him?

  KENNY

  No, just one.

  Hank nods and shuffles the papers.

  HANK

  Funny stuff. OK, so tell me about your last job at Seaside Skips? You were a bartender?

  He pulls a pen out of his pocket and CLICKS it. He sits intently.

  KENNY

  Yes. My previous bartending gig was at a little hole in the wall called Seaside Skips. I made ends meet. A pretty boring crowd generally, except for my last night there, it was…

  HANK

  (interrupting)

  Whoa, you're last night. Tell me about it. You left on good terms?

  KENNY

  Yeah, sure. They'd welcome me back in a second. But not even a lobotomy could make me forget my last night. I had this guest, she was a Puerto Rican lady and she was crazier than a runaway train.

  HANK

  Go on…

  Kenny rubs his chin and smirks.

  DISSOLVE TO:

  INT: SEASIDE SKIPS. FIVE DAYS EARLIER.

  Kenny stands behind the bar, wiping it.

  The walls of the pub are decorated in mirrors advertising beer, mounted fish heads, and pictures of intoxicated bar regulars. A couple in the corner of the bar watch the FLICKERING television over a couple of drinks on the rocks while another man sits at the bar nursing his bottled beer.

  The Puerto Rican woman, ROSA, enters the bar. She is in her mid-thirties and is dressed in tight jeans, a tube top, and a leather jacket. She turns and takes a long paranoid gaze out at the street.

  KENNY

  Hey there. Welcome to Seaside Skips.

  Rosa says nothing and sits down. She sets a black leather briefcase with chrome buckles on the bar. She pulls a pack of cigarettes out of her bra.

  She taps her long pink nails on the bar in a repetitious rhythm.

  ROSA

  Gimme a tequila sunrise and make it a double.

  KENNY

  Yes, ma'am.

  Kenny serves up the drink, an ashtray, and a book of matches. Rosa sucks the drink down and pushes it forward. She lights her cigarette.

  ROSA

  Another, please. But stronger and with some of those little red cherries. What time do you got?

  Kenny scoops up the glass and refills it. She slurps it down almost as fast as the first one.

  KENNY

  About nine-thirty.

  ROSA

  I needed that bad. Lemme have just one more please. My name is Rosa, by the way.

  Kenny slides another drink in front of her.

  KENNY

  My name is Kenny. So, are you visiting?

  Rosa gulps down the tequila sunrise.

  ROSA

  I am just passing through and kind of in a hurry. Wow, you make a good tequila sunrise. Just one more for the road, will ya?

  Kenny refills the glass and serves it to her. The television behind the bar shows a basketball game.

  INSERT: TELEVISIONr />
  A classic championship basketball game. It is the Chicago Bulls versus the Portland Trailblazers. The game is 6:42 into the first quarter.

  CUT TO:

  INT: SEASIDE SKIPS. FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER.

  INSERT TELEVISION:

  The same basketball game in the beginning minutes of the third quarter. The Bulls are ahead.

  BACK TO SCENE

  There is nobody else in the bar except for Kenny and Rosa.

  Rosa guzzles down another tequila sunrise. Her ashtray is overflowing with cigarette butts. She is DRUNK and teetering back and forth on her stool. Kenny pulls the glass away and empties her ashtray.

  Rosa slides the briefcase in front of her and tries popping it open. She fidgets with it and pushes it away.

  ROSA

  (in spanish)

  Stupid briefcase!

  KENNY

  I'm sorry, what was that?

  ROSA

  Nothing. The damn thing is locked. It won't pop open.

  KENNY

  Do you need help? Let me see…

  She pulls it back in front of her as Kenny reaches for it.

  KENNY

  It looks like it has a number locking mechanism on it. Do you know the code?

  ROSA

  I have no idea. The asshole I stole it from might know. I was waitin' for a moment to rip that rich