Tuesday, August 31, 2010

STRIP CLUB

INT. STRIP CLUB - SAME NIGHT
Flashing lights. Pounding music. A stripper with an apple and a snake slinks on stage in low light. She looks at the apple alternately with fear and desire until she finally bites into it. The tempo of the music and the flashing lights increases. Her sexuality begins to blossom and she flicks her tongue at the snake. Faust enters just before she bites the apple and she plays some of her act toward him after he seats himself at a table. When her set ends, another stripper appears and she takes the snake offstage and comes back on in a robe and goes over to Faust's table. 
MARY
I love your music.
FAUST
Yeah, I like your act too. Turn around.
MARY
What?
FAUST
Turn around so I can see your ass.
She reluctantly obeys.
Nice.
Mary is obviously disappointed.
MARY
Thanks. I've got to -
FAUST
Don't go.
MARY
Look, I definitely don't want to be rude to you, but I'm not in the -
FAUST
I'm sorry.
MARY
Really?
FAUST
I,m sorry. I'm not always this bad. I swear.
MARY
It's not that guys don't ever talk to me like that, It's just tonight I'm kind of moody and - Do you have a light?
Faust lights her cigarette.
MARY
I've been under a lot of - well, you don't want to hear this.
FAUST
No, what's the matter?
MARY
Oh --- nothing.
FAUST
Come on. Tell me.
MARY
My little boy's been sick and my mind's just - out there.
FAUST
He's sick? Is he gonna be -
MARY
Oh yeah. He'll be OK. He just feels really bad,ya know? Strep. He'll be fine. It just makes me sad to leave him when he really needs me.
She smokes and fidgets.
FAUST
I like your ring.
MARY
Thanks. My mom gave it to me. My mom's really cool. She's got this amazing tattoo - what?
FAUST
Your mom is cool, huh?
MARY
What? Did I hit a sore spot-
FAUST
No. I don't have parents really.
MARY
Not really?
FAUST
Well, my dad disappeared a long time ago and my mom's - well, she just died.
MARY
Oh baby. I'm sorry.
This show of sympathy touches Faust deeply, but he immediately toughens up.
FAUST
No. No. No pity. What does not kill us makes us stronger - or stranger. Whichever. How old is your little boy?
MARY
He's six.
FAUST
Six, huh? He must be a handful.
MARY
Oh yeah. He wears me out.
FAUST
What's his name?
MARY
Johnny.
FAUST
You really love him, huh?
MARY
Oh god. He's my whole life. It's just me and him, ya know. Gotta stick together.
FAUST
No husband.
MARY
No nothin'.
Pause. Faust stares at her intensely.
FAUST
You are so familiar.
MARY
My next set's coming up soon and I gotta go upstairs for a minute. Will you be here when I get back?
FAUST
No - uh, no. I gotta go. I - what's your name?
She instinctively answers with her stage name and then tells him her real name.
MARY
Melody - Mary.
FAUST
Mary. I'm sorry I was such an asshole earlier. I-
MARY
Don't worry about it. It's no big -
Faust takes her hand in a spontaneous gesture of tenderness. He then takes out a wad of hundred dollar bills and hands them to her.
FAUST
Take care of Johnny.
She kisses him. There is a connection. Faust looks at her and heads for the door. Mary smiles as she watches him leave.

A DOG RETURNS TO ITS VOMIT

PREACHER
These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity. Of them the proverb is true: "A dog returns to its vomit.