Throwing Rocks At The Devil's Door

Happy Tuesday, crime slicksters. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where the girls are hot, the drinks are cold, and the hardboiled-pulp-noir action is non-stop, right here, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 37 of FILLMORE, after doing the night club gig in Alaska, back in San Francisco, Slim parties with a couple of other pimps and his girls, and gets into a fight about who's 'the most successful.'


INT. THE LAST FRONTIER NIGHT CLUB - NIGHT
All the booths and tables are filled with
PIPELINE WORKERS of all ages,
a rough-looking group of white guys,
most of whom have beards.

And, at a table off to the side,
a group of stone-faced ESKIMOS
in traditional Inuit garb.

Slim plays onstage at the The Last Frontier
with just the bass and guitar players,
and an Army kid on the snare drum.

They sound good and tight.
Ripping through BIG BRASS MONKEY.

SLIM
(sings)
'All you wanna do is ball and play --
(beat)
You got the balls of a big brass monkey.'

The Eskimos in the front row
GO NUTS with applause.

INT. SLIM’S JOINT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Music is BLARING. It’s a PARTY.

Slim hangs out with GANGSTER BROWN (30’s),
a good-looking pimp -- and BERNIE (20’s)
a big, chubby pimp.

Various HOOKERS lie around.
A group of their KIDS
play on the floor with toys.

Slim wears a white fur coat and matching hat,
holding one of the kids.

PEPPER (20’s) a bit chunky
but still hot points a finger.

PEPPER
I’m gonna be driving
Slim’s Cadillac tomorrow.

CANDY (20’s), tall and foxy,
laughs in her face.

CANDY
Bitch, you don’t even know
how to lean in a Cadillac.

SLIM
This is how it’s done, mother-fuckers.
This be STYLIN.’ Chinchilla --
(points at Gangster Brown)
Not like your threads.
Wouldn’t even let you in
the Playa’s Ball wearin’ that shit.

GANGSTER BROWN
Hey.
I got this from Arthur,
just like you.

SLIM
Well, he must of had an off day
when he made that.

Slim pulls out a joint.
Candy shoots Slim a look.

Nods at the kids.
Slim looks at the guys.
Gestures toward the next room.

SLIM
C’mon.
Don’t wanna pollute
the little one’s lungs.
(puts the kid down)
Don’t take no wooden nickles.

He sees Candy’s purse on the floor.

SLIM
Bitch, I told you not to
put your purse on the floor.
You gonna have your money runnin’ away.

She grabs her purse
as the boys go into the back room.
One of the BOYS (8) follows them.

INT. SLIM’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Gangster and Bernie come in
with their drinks. Sit.

The kid comes in.
Slim looks at him.

SLIM
(laughs)
Oh, so now you’re hangin’
with the big boys?

The kid smiles.
Slim lights up the joint.
Passes it around.

BERNIE
You sure full of yourself tonight, Slim.

SLIM
Full of myself?
What the fuck you talkin’ about?

BERNIE
Hey. All I meant was you wound up
a bit tight, that’s all.

SLIM
Wound up a bit tight?
How do you think I got
all the girls I got, huh?
If you pay more attention
to how I play The Game,
maybe you’d get more than two girls,
you slick motherfucker. Shit.
(to Gangster Brown)
See what I have to put up with?
That’s why I’ve been tryin’
to school you, Brown.
So you don’t make the same mistakes
these stupid motherfuckers make.

GANGSTER BROWN
Right on.

SLIM
(to Bernie)
You wanna talk some more shit?
See if I give you anymore of my old cars.
Big, fat, black ungrateful bitch.

BERNIE
Yo, man. Whoah, it ain’t that serious.
I’m a bit on edge since the cops
started comin’ down on us so hard.
(shakes his head)
I think I’m gonna go to New York,
try my luck there.
I hear there’s a lotta action.

SLIM
Do what you gotta do.

Bernie pulls out a roll of money.
Holds it up.

BERNIE
Still, I ain’t doin’ too bad here --

Slim looks at the sorry-ass roll.
Shakes his head. Laughs.

SLIM
That ain’t NOTHIN,’ motherfucker --

He starts pulling out
BIG, THICK WADS of cash.

THROWS them over the bed.
They SWIRL in the air, FLUTTER down.

SLIM
THAT’S what I’m talkin’ bout.
Live till you live, live till you die.
(a low growl)
Throwin’ rocks at the Devil’s door.

The kid smiles.
JUMPS on the bed.
THROWS money in the air.