The Pleasure's All Yours

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In Chapter 9 of FILLMORE, after attending ROTC classes with his friend Eddie, Clarence goes to his job at a local saloon, where he gets into a fight with one of the pimps hanging out there ... and when the dust is settled, in a flash of inspiration he christens himself 'Fillmore Slim.'


EXT. HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY
An ROTC DRILL SARGEANT (30’s) address a
group of BOYS (15) dressed in fancy uniforms
with caps that have chin straps.

We see Clarence and Eddie
in the front row off to the side.

DRILL SARGEANT
In order to achieve victory,
you communicate with the squad leader,
who follows your orders to the letter.
The rest of the men in the patrol take orders from him.
The commissioned officer is above the squad leaders
and gives them his orders. This way, you can manage
twenty to thirty men and only be communicating
with a couple of them at any given moment.
Victory through discipline.

Clarence whispers something to Eddie. He chuckles.
Drill Sergeant sees this. Points at Slim.

DRILL SARGEnt
Mr. Sims. How do we achieve victory against our enemy?

CLARENCE
Discipline, sir. Victory through discipline.

DRILL SARGEANT
And without discipline, Mr. Sims, what do we have?

CLARENCE
Sir, without discipline we have a clusterfuck.

A group of PRETTY GIRLS (16) sit in the stands
watching the boys.

We recognize one of them as the girl
who noticed Clarence in the corridor in school.

EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - OUTSIDE AREA - DAY
Clarence and Eddie walk, deep in conversation.

EDDIE
Are you gonna join the Army after we graduate?

CLARENCE
I’ve got more important things to do.
I’m gonna be famous, singing and dancing
and making it with the girls.

EDDIE
Yeah, sure. Right.

CLARENCE
What are you gonna do?

EDDIE
I’m gonna join the Army. There’s no other choice.

CLARENCE
You could be a cop -- or a fireman.

EDDIE
Are you KIDDING? Negroes can’t get those jobs.

CLARENCE
Yeah, I guess you’re right. My uncle’s a genius at math,
and the only job he could get was as a plumber.

EDDIE
Fuck that. Unclogging stinky toilets full of shit?
No WAY. Negroes don’t have any choice --
so I’m gonna join the Army.

Clarence turns his head.
Notices Pretty Girl in the stands, looking at him.
He turns and looks at Eddie.

CLARENCE
Who’s that girl over there?

EDDIE
In the red dress?

CLARENCE
Yeah.

EDDIE
That’s James Etta.

CLARENCE
'James Etta?'

EXT. FILLMORE STREET - DAY
A SKINNY PIMP (30’s) is hanging out on the corner
with one of his HOOKERS (20’s).

He’s dressed in high style
with a fancy suit and matching hat.

The girls gives him a roll of money.
Down the street we see Clarence watching them.

WANDA
Fish are biting. We’re doin’ good today.

SKINNY PIMP
(smacks her ass)
Now get back to work.
I’ll come check on ya later --

Wanda smiles, starts to go.
Just then a GIANT COP IN UNIFORM GRABS Skinny by the arm.

Another COP IN UNIFORM grabs Wanda.
They both start dragging them to their car.

GIANT COP
Gotcha NOW, Lester. Caught you RIGHT in the act --

LESTER
Excuse me, officer Gamble?

OFFICER GAMBLE
You heard me. I saw you take money from that WHORE.
You’re under ARREST.

LESTER
I know why you’re doing this, it’s an election year --
the mayor was a client just last week.

OFFICER GAMBLE
Enough of your lip, boy. Shut the fuck UP.

He opens the car door open.
PUSHES him in the back seat.

The other cop SHOVES Wanda in next to him.
Clarence watches them go by, unnoticed.

Then continues down the sidewalk.
He gets to an old building.
BOBBY D’S POOL HALL. He goes in.

INT. BOBBY D’S POOL HALL - CONTINUOUS
Old, run down, with a smattering of tables.
Some old blues classic plays on the juke.

Clarence walks in. Ducks behind a door.
Puts on a bowling shirt that reads BOBBY D’S POOL HALL.

He checks himself in the mirror.
Grabs a case of Cokes and takes it to the bar.

Behind the bar is BOBBY D (40’s),
a big bear of a man. He smiles at Clarence.

BOBBY D
Thanks, Clarence. Now go rack the balls
over at table eight. We got some players here.

Clarence nods, heads over to the table,
where two well-dressed PIMPS (30’s)
and their HOT WOMEN (20’s) are having cocktails.

Slim eyes the girls. They check him out.
One of the pimps is very drunk and sees this.

DRUNK PIMP
What you doing flirting with my woman, BOY?

CLARENCE
I’m sorry, sir, I just --

DRUNK PIMP
Don’t sorry ME, boy. Just rack the balls.

CLARENCE
Yes, sir --

Clarence glances at the girls.
Starts taking the balls out from under the table,
slowly shaking his hips in time to the music.

Starts putting the balls in the rack,
again in time to the music. The girls giggle.

He eyes them, and -- his hip KNOCKS OVER
Drunk Pimp’s cocktail on the edge of the pool table.
It HITS the floor with a CRASH.

CLARENCE
I’m sorry. I’ll get you a new --

DRUNK PIMP
WHAT THE HELL you doin,’ BOY?
You SPILLED my motherfucking DRINK.

CLARENCE
Relax. Calm down. I’ll get you another one.

DRUNK PIMP
RELAX? CALM DOWN?

He GRABS a pool cue off the rack on the wall.
Starts WAVING it back and forth in the air like a sword.

DRUNK PIMP
I’m gonna teach you a LESSON --

TALL HOT GIRL
C’mon. Put that down, baby.
It was an accident. He didn’t mean it.

DRUNK PIMP
Shut the FUCK UP. He was showin’ off for you.
I SAW what he was doin’ --

CLARENCE
I said I was sorry.

Drunk Pimp FLIES into a rage and SWINGS
the cue at Clarence. He DUCKS, and the force of gravity
causes Drunk to lose his balance -- and he HITS the floor. SMACK.

His head CRACKS against a chair, BANG. He goes out like a light.
Clarence leans down, GRABS the cue out of his hands.
Steps back, holding it like a baseball bat.

CLARENCE
You stupid, drunk motherfucker.

BIG CURTIS (30’s) shakes his head. Holds out his hands.

BIG CURTIS
Alright, son. We got the message. What’s your name, boy?

CLARENCE
(thinks a moment)
Slim.

He looks out the window.

A SIGN
Across the street advertises HOT JAZZ ON FILLMORE.

CLARENCE
Looks at Big Curtis. A light bulb POPS.

CLARENCE
Fillmore Slim, and don’t you forget it.

The girls eye him. Impressed.

BIG CURTIS
Fo’ sho.’ If you live long enough.

SLIM
I’m from New Orleans.

BIG CURTIS
(gives his hand to shake)
Big Curtis. Thought I recognized that accent.
I’m from Baton Rouge myself.

SLIM
(shakes)
Please to meet you.
We’re both a long ways away from the bayou --

BIG CURTIS
Ain’t that a fact.

SLIM
But now that I’m here, I’m gonna own this town.

BIG CURTIS
(laughs)
Son, the Fillmore district is the only area
colored people are allowed.
(chuckles)
But maybe you just will own this town.
These here are my girls Lucy and Loretta.

The girls smile. Slim gives them a nod.

SLIM
Ladies.
(winks)
The pleasure’s all yours --