Any time you like I will be happy not to show up at all.
CECIL
You going to quit?
GLORIA
Can I expect you to turn your attentions elsewhere, Mr. Dupree?
I would like to get that clear.
CECIL
You get a decent place to live yet?
GLORIA
What?
Cecil looks away again.
CECIL
Out of that Nazi airplane.
We talked about this. And getting coffee.
The kind you grind, not something comes in a jar, little grains float on the top...
Gloria tries to speak, can't.
CECIL
I got your flat fixed. You could thank me for that.
Gloria stomps off, and Cecil nearly smiles.
WAN'S KITCHEN-NIGHT
Ortega is busy cooking. Rhino stops Jack as Jack leaves with a tray of food.
RHINO
I been getting reports on your behavior, Jack.
I do not like hearing incidents like that.
JACK
I made a mistake is all.
Mr. Dupree says it's okay.
Says it wasn't harmful intent.
RHINO
I don't give a fuck about in
tent.
What you do reflects on me. You want to keep straight, you want to get along with me?
JACK
I guess that's what I want to do.
RHINO
You guess?
What is a fucking
guess,
Jack?
Jack has had enough---that does it. Jack turns on Rhino, a different Jack for the moment.
ALTERNATE VIEW
JACK
You got no cause to be stompin' on me.
You talk like I'm fucking off all the time and that ain't so.
I do what you're telling me, taking your shit, whatever you're dishing out. I am doing as much as anybody else 'round here!
ON RHINO
Rhino is shocked that Jack is talking back like this. His anger reaches a peak, then simply drops away.
RHINO
Get that stuff over there, get it over an' get back here.
And---don't be speaking uncivil to me.
It is over, and Jack's still alive.
As he leaves, sweat breaks out on his face.
INT. MAIN ROOM - NIGHT
The place is packed as Jack weaves his way through the crowd. Glances at Cecil's table.
Cecil is making a big thing over a guy in a black Stetson hat, a singer Jack has seen on TV. With him is KANDY KLEE, she's a singer too. She's maybe twelve, but made up older than that.
The two wear typical country singer wear. They are both autographing pigs.
CLOSE ON ONE OF THE PIGS
The pig squeals.
MATCH THE SQUEAL to
Guy at the bar as he CHOMPS into a barbecue sandwich.
A TABLE ON THE FLOOR
Jack spots Maggie riding on an OLD GUY'S chubby knee.
JACK
You seen Gloria or what?
She's supposed to be on, I don't see her anywhere.
MAGGIE
Well hell, Jack, I am busy here, all right? You are interfering with my customer's delight.
OLD GUY
I can't see the ladies, you are standing there, son. Get us a couple of Buds.
JACK
I'm your food person. You got to see a wait person for that.
OLD GUY
A what?
Jack looks to his right, spots Gloria and dashes off.
DRESSING ROOM
GLORIA and JACK
GLORIA
I am on, Jack, I can't stop and talk now. And don't keep barging in. We're going to get a lock.
JACK
Huh-uh. That'd be a fire code violation. Listen, I just want to talk.
Gloria drops her robe.
GLORIA
Christ, Jack, I feel I ought to put a coat on, you come around. It isn't natural, staring like that.
Jack looks intense.
JACK
We talked about us going out, Gloria. Only you don't have time. You got
time
for Cecil and that rich greaser, you haven't got time for me.
GLORIA
Don't go there, Jack. I will not put up with personal intrusions on my life.
ON JACK
JACK
Things'll be different soon. You'll be wearing real clothes, and candy that's not on sale. When my big deal comes through...
ON GLORIA
Naked as ever, Gloria goes to a hanger and brushes something off a costume. Doesn't look at Jack.
GLORIA
And how's that coming?
JACK
All right. Far as Chavez is concerned, I'm letting racial tension stand in the way. I don't like ol' Ortega much, but I don't like him in a different way I don't like Chavez.
Gloria freezes, as she holds up a tiny bra to her breasts.
GLORIA
You're saying what?
JACK
Ricky is one rich greaser.
Ortega's poor as a dog.
You wouldn't think about doing it with someone like him.
GLORIA
Doing it.
JACK
You know.
Doing it.
GLORIA
Goddamn it, Jack.
She snatches up her robe.
GLORIA (CONT'D)
You have broken a bond between us. One I doubt has got a chance of healing.
JACK
What kinda bond was that? You won't even go out for pie.
GLORIA
Maybe pie just wasn't meant to be, hon.
Gloria checks her hair in the mirror, wets her finger, brushes a curl across her cheek. We can see Jack in the mirror.
GLORIA (CONT'D)
Sometimes it's best you nip something like that, before it gets to pie...
In her mirror, Jack's face wilts.
OUTSIDE DRESSING ROOM
Jack stops short as Cecil's voice comes over the speakers.
CECIL (O.S.)
...We have a special surprise for y'all at Piggs tonight...
DJ'S STAND
ON CECIL
CECIL
...What we got is
post
time,
ladies and gents, if there's any ladies got in here somehow.
SOUND: LAUGHTER
CECIL
We got your horsies, we got 'em right here.
Ugliest horses I have ever seen, but take a look at those jockeys, boys, that's what you came
to see!
Cheers
MUSIC (O.S) DERBY MUSIC.
MAIN FLOOR
SERIES OF SHOTS
We see the the horsies are TRUCKERS, LAWYERS, DEFROCKED DALLAS COWBOYS, etc. Each have a number pinned to their butts. The strippers wear cute jockey hats and carry toy whips.
The patrons are on their feet cheering.
ON JACK
He glances behind him, sees Gloria at the dressing room door, hanging on the arm of Ricky Chavez.
JACK
Aw, man...
CECIL (V.O.)
And they're off.
There they gooooo!
SERIES OF SHOTS
The trucker bucks Maggie off.
The football player moves ahead...here comes the lawyer and a judge, other strippers, other guys....up to the finish line, etc.
ON JACK
Cat wraps a big arm around Jack from behind, pulls him into shadow. Jack kicks at empty air as Grape appears and peels him down to his shorts, shoves him to his knees.
JACK
Hey, goddamn it!
Grape can't stop laughing.
GRAPE
Go get 'em---I got a twenty on you, jailbait!
Something lands on his back. It's the girl singer. Cat gives Jack a kick.
DJ'S STAND
CECIL
Hold it, folks, we got us a late entry here, it's not done yet!
Here she is, boys, our real special guest an' she's just fourteen, the prettiest songbird in Nashville, Tennessee...little Miss Kaaaandy Klee!
JACK / KANDY
KANDY KLEE
(riding Jack)
Thirteen,
asshole...
Words only Jack can hear.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. THE AIRPLANE -NIGHT
Ricky Chavez sits uncomfortably in the jumpseat; Gloria slumps in a chair, dead tired, rubbing her feet, trying to keep her eyes open. Ricky is trying to be Mister Smooth.
RICKY
...One cannot but admire the German peoples, Miss Mundi. They can craft the most incredible of machines.
As I recall,the Junkers JU 52 has the maximum speed of 350 kilometers an hour, and the ceiling of 18,045 feet, yes?
Gloria scarcely opens her eyes.
GLORIA
It'll depend on your load factor, and what kind of weather you're up against in the European skies.
RICKY
That is much like life itself, is it not? What we strive for is not always what we achieve.