The Game

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In Chapter 17 of FILLMORE, Fillmore Slim hangs out at a neighborhood bar with Big Curtis, another pimp, watching their girls peddle their wares out on the street through the window. Meanwhile, patrolman Dick Gamble hangs out with his cop friends at a nearby watering hole, where he lays out his plans on how he's gonna make detective ... by bringing down Fillmore.


INT. FILLMORE STREET BAR - NIGHT
A big joint bustling with activity.
Giant windows along the street give
a great view of the action going on outside.

Tons of HOOKERS peddle their wares
amongst the heavy pedestrian traffic.

Johns in cars pull up to the curb
and choose girls, who then get in and drive off.

Several groups of PIMPS sit at tables.
Slim and Big Curtis sit in front of a window
in the corner drinking champagne,
watching the girls on the corner.

BIG CURTIS
(raises his glass)
Welcome to The Game, my man.

Slim nods. Takes a sip.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. NEIGHBORHOOD BAR - NIGHT
A neighborhood joint where the local cops hang out.
Not as nice as the pimps’ bar,
but still cozy, with neon beer signs,
a dart board, juke box, etc.

Dick Gamble sits at a table drinking beer
with a few other cops:

PRENTICE (40’s) a stocky fireplug of a man,
NORM (20’s) his rookie partner,
and ROGER (30’s) a former Marine.

DICK
The wife and I want the kids to go to a good college,
but I’m not gonna be able to afford it
unless I make detective.

PRENTICE
I’m shooting higher. I’m becoming chief.

BIG CURTIS
Looks at Slim.

BIG CURTIS
You know the guerrilla group over there --
(points)
They liked to beat on the girls. I can’t stand ‘em.
They give The Game a bad rap.
(points)
And those are escort boys over there. They soft

SLIM
And then there’s you.
You’ve got the best table in the place.

BIG CURTIS
How many girls you got now?
(off his silence)
What, ten -- fifteen?

NORM
Looks at Dick.

NORM
How you gonna do that?
There’s only a couple dozen colored cops in the whole city,
and they’re gonna make one of us CHIEF?

PRENTICE
As the song says, the time’s they are a-changing.
Pretty soon it will be politically expedient for them to do so.

ROGER
Politically expedient? Look at you with the two-dollar words.

BIG CURTIS
Continues explaining.

BIG CURTIS
There’s a hundred and one rules to pimping, but the most
instrinsicant one is about when you get knocked --

SLIM
Instrinsicant?

BIG CURTIS
It means when a girl leaves you for another pimp --

SLIM
I know, I know --

BIG CURTIS
Yeah, but she can’t just choose him. She’s gotta give him money.
Then the new pimp’s calls the old pimp and tell him the score.
You just got knocked. That way it’s all above-board
and nobody gets hurt. No harm, no foul. It keeps the peace.

SLIM
Nobody’s gonna be knocking my bitches.

BIG CURTIS
Well, you gotta be careful now that you’ve got that many girls,
cause that’s more for you to watch --
and they play as many games as the pimps do.

DICK
Starts getting excited.

DICK
-- and we just have to keep playin’ these politicians.

NORM
Maybe they’re playing us.
Using us as pawns to show the world how liberal they are.

DICK
Look. In order for us to make a name for ourselves,
we’ve gotta get a high-profile collar.
(sips his beer)
I’ve got my eye on someone I want to get.
He’s a pimp who fancies himself some kind of entertainer.
Once I get him, I get my promotion to detective.

PRENTICE
It’s people like that are hurting our city,
living the high life with their fancy cars and clothes.
They’re ruining too many lives.

DICK
Tell me about it. And everyone turns a blind eye.

BIG CURTIS
Sips his drink. Then --

BIG CURTIS
A couple of things you should keep in mind.
It’s important to keep the peace.
The cops won’t bother you too much.
San Francisco’s pretty much an open town.
Just keep your head down and don’t make waves.

DICK
Shakes his head sadly.

DICK
We’ve even got city officials coming down here to pick up whores.

ROGER
That reminds me. I need your help with something.
I’ve got a nephew who wants to get on the fire department.

PRENTICE
Good luck. Those Irish bastards aren’t gonna let a colored man --

ROGER
That may be, but if we talked to a certain city official
that comes round here and samples the wares of a certain
prostitute --

DICK
Lets do it.

BIG CURTIS
Suddenly looks serious.

BIG CURTIS
It’s all about the money. Understand?

Slim stares at him. Sips his champagne.

DICK
Sips his beer. Looks at them.

DICK
In the meantime, Norm and I are gonna get this pimp.
We’re gonna stick to him like glue.
I get this collar, I can take it to the bank.

PRENTICE
What’s his name?

Out the window, we see a car pull up. Slim and Curtis notice. Watch.
The DRIVER eyes a tall, FOXY HOOKER (29). Says something to her.
She smiles. Cricket walks by. He says something to her.
She nods, excited. Gets in. The car drives away.
Foxy Hooker looks PISSED. Slim smiles. Curtis frowns.
Slim finishes his drink. Pulls out a big roll of money.

SLIM
Don’t worry. I got this.

He slaps down a hundred. Gets up. Walks away.

IN THE COP’S JOINT
Dick narrows his eyes.

DICK
Fillmore Slim.