PIGGS - A Novel with Bonus Screenplay (34 page)

Gloria tries to pay attention.

GLORIA

I haven't given it a whole lot of thought.

(yawn)

Real nice of you to drop in, Mr. Chavez. It's getting awful late.

But Ricky is on a roll.

RICKY

It was my great pleasure that I have travel, had the
vacacion
in the lovely German town and countryside...

Gloria wakes up a bit.

GLORIA

I didn't know that.

RICKY

But, I expect you speak the German tongue.

GLORIA

Shoot, I don't speak any tongues at all.

RICKY

No? Ah, vas ge-stoppen der Gretel und Fritzen?
 
Vo grabben der stein, mine hair?
 
Vo ge-sleepen in der Benz?

GLORIA

Now I got some of that.
 
I hope it wasn't something foreign that isn't nice.

Ricky smiles, encouraged.

RICKY

No, no, Fraw-line. I simply said, "Do you not think it is cool for this time of the year in the Texas?"
 
And, if you will excuse the familiar, I said, "You are a most charming person."

Gloria stands and fluffs up her hair.

GLORIA

Let's not get into that right yet, all right? Some other time I would love to hear more...

Ricky is desperate with desire.
 
He also hates Gloria's coffee, and takes the opportunity to slide his cup under his seat.

RICKY

I must say the German nation of today is a most pleasant place to be. The people have not the warlike nature of the past, they---

Gloria's manner changes at once.

GLORIA

Uh-huh. I don't recall any JU-52s over Acapulco, Mr. Chavez. Just what are you complaining about?

Ricky is taken aback; he stands at once.

RICKY

Miss Mundi, I was born in the Cleveland of the Ohio.

GLORIA

Well
muy beano
for you.

RICKY

I did not think you were of the racial thinking.

GLORIA

Well you thought right.
 
And
I
thought you had a real feeling for the German people. I see that you don't. On the con-traire, as the Frenchies say.

RICKY

Please, you mistake my intent...

GLORIA

I got your in
tent,
which is to stare up my shorts.
 
I get enough of that at work, I don't need to put up with it here.

I am real disappointed, Mr. Chavez.
 
I imagined you were a deeper type of person.
 
I see I was wrong about that.

She moves to the door of the plane, showing him the way.

GLORIA

And if you'd read your history you'd know there was plenty of folks didn't go for Hitler
at
all.

RICKY

I am sure that is--

GLORIA

The boy who flew this very plane likely had no part in the historic crimes of the National Social Party on people of other creeds.

RICKY

Excuse me.
 
How could you possibly know that?

GLORIA

And I would ask you not to approach me in a romantic manner, Mr. Chavez.
 
We have not reached that level of acquaintance.

Ricky, out the door and over the wing, glances down with some trepidation.

RICKY

Miss Mundi.
 
If I have shown some expression of physical desire, please to know that is but one aspect of my attraction to you.

With all my heart,
mi corazon...

Gloria backs him away.

GLORIA

Don't start.
 
I don't need that kind of talk and I don't want it in
 
your native tongue, either.

The rose was nice.
 
I won't comment on the candy.

Gloria gives him a light kiss on the cheek. Ricky is bewildered.

RICKY

Thank you.
 
That was very---

GLORIA

I said don't start.
 
Get climbing, Mr. Chavez, all right? Before I get really pissed at you...

CUT TO:

WAN'S KITCHEN - DAY

ON ORTEGA

Ortega splits a chicken down the middle with a cleaver.

JACK flinches, almost drops a dish.

ORTEGA

I am thinking I know who is jumpy, who is not getting their proper rest. I do not feel I could sleep
 
down there with the spirits of the little dead doggies yip-yip-yipping in the night.

JACK

For Chrisakes, there isn't any dead doggies, an' you don't need to be talking about
down there.

ORTEGA

Among my people, we respect the souls of our animal brothers---

Ortega whacks another chicken in half.

Rhino sticks his head in the door a moment.

RHINO

That was a shameful thing to do, what Cecil did.
 
Isn't no way to treat a white man, don't care what he done. It wasn't right.

Rhino backs out. Jack shrugs.

ORTEGA

I am pleased I live to see this thing, Jack. Rhino, he is taking up for you.

JACK

He didn't exactly say that...

ORTEGA

Is like you are peeking in the window, there is Julius Robbers, she is taking off her clothes.
 
You are never thinking this will happen to you.

Ortega tosses chicken parts into the sizzling wok. Rhino barges in.

RHINO

What are we doing, ladies? I got a fucking Chink restaurant to run, get
moving
back here! Move-move-move-move!

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. PASSAGEWAY -LATE AFTERNOON, NEAR SUNDOWN.

Only a few customers are dragging into Piggs. Jack washes up at the faucet near the dumpster, slips on a clean T-shirt as Gloria parks her Rambler.

JACK

Well, you're kinda early.

GLORIA

Is everybody 'round here keeping time?

JACK

He isn't here.

GLORIA

Who isn't, Jack?

JACK

The seen-yor.
 
You know, the meester beeg shot weeth the choco-latays an' de flower?

GLORIA

I will try and overlook your behavior.

JACK

Si
. I know nahthing.
Nada..

DISSOLVE TO:

THE MAIN ROOM - NIGHT

ESTABLISHING SHOT

CAMERA ROAMS through the crowd. Crowd parts, and there's CECIL'S TABLE, a bib tucked in his overalls, as he works through a plate of ribs. TWO GUESTS at table, plus Grape and a STRIPPER. Cat behind Cecil. Cecil has he group is stitches, but we can't hear what he's saying.

CUT TO:

PARKING LOT

For a moment, Jack sits against the wall of Piggs. Then, bright lights sweep over him as

CUT TO:

A BLACK LINCOLN pulls into the FRONT of the lot. Jack's not looking in that direction; he's farther back, waiting for Ricky Chavez.

THE GROUP - GERRARD, WILLIE BEE, LEO and FRANK get out and head for the front entrance to Piggs.

SERIES OF SHOTS

Gerrard, a giant of a black man in shades, white collar, blue shirt. Leo, Willie Bee and Frank. Just hoods.

CUT TO:

Ricky's car

He parks his car and walks toward the side entrance to Piggs. He stops, surprised.

CLOSE ON RICKY

RICKY

Jack...?

JACK and RICKY

Jack grins; he can scarcely believe his luck.

JACK

Sheeit. Y'all right on time tonight.

Jack brings a short iron pipe from somewhere and taps Ricky lightly on the head.

CUT TO:

CECIL'S TABLE

CECIL, finishing off another rib and a funny story. Everyone LAUGHS, more than they need to.

CECIL

....what is funda-mentally wrong with your person of New York descent is constriction of the bloodline. People up there tend to co-habit with their own kind.
 
Be it your eye-talian aunt or a seester from down Porto-Reeko way.

FIRST GUEST

Man, that is raht.

SECOND GUEST

Sister's fine with me.

CECIL

Don't get me wrong, now.
 
There are similar habits in the South. But we do make an effort to breed outside the county or even out of state sometimes.

That's why the gee-netic pool produces honies such as this.

Cecil grabs a stripper's knee.

OVER SHOULDER SHOT

GRAPE'S POV

CECIL

...then there is the matter of pigmentation of the skin.
 
Your Eastern gent will tell you he lunches with a black man every day...