Make Art, Not War

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In Chapter 3 of RIDGEWAY, we go back in time and meet Cate Salinger, the 'Tall Woman' in the opening sequence, and see her in court, where she's being evicted from her home. Meanwhile, deep in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, we meet Kayla Cross, a jewelry maker in an upscale tourist boutique, being fucked with by an extremely unpleasant coworker ...

EXT. COASTLINE - DAY
TITLE CARD reads: ‘THREE MONTHS EARLIER.’

Deep blue ocean.
White sandy beach.
Palm trees galore.

Sunshine so bright it hurts.
Another gorgeous day in paradise city
where the grass is legal
and the girls are shitty.

EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY
Your typical drab, seventies-era courthouse.
But this is Santa Monica, California,
so the HOMELESS PEOPLE
lying on the grass outside
are well-fed and sleeping peacefully.

LAWYERS, DEFENDANTS and PLAINTIFFS stream in.
Some smiling. Some frowning.
More than a few on the verge of tears.

INT. COURTROOM - DAY
Small. Plain. Filled with the dregs of society.
And that’s just the lawyers.

Welcome to Eviction Court,
where all day, every day, people find out
the date they lose their home.

Standing before the
STERN BUT CUTE FEMALE JUDGE (40’s)
is Tall Woman, who we recognize
from the opening scene.

Meet CATE SALINGER (50’s),
rakish in a black suit and hipster glasses.
Great-looking, but looks drained, stressed-out.

Standing next to her is her LANDLORD (80’s),
tall and skinny with a giant head like a lollipop --
and his LAWYER, a boisterous BIG GUY (50’s)
clutching a sheaf of papers.

STERN BUT CUTE FEMALE JUDGE
You’ve agreed to vacate the premises
August seventeenth.

CATE
Yes, your honor.

STERN BUT CUTE FEMALE JUDGE
Please get a conformed copy
of the judgement from the clerk.

Stern But Cute BANGS her gavel.
Landlord glares at Cate.

She fidgets. Looks down.
Not her finest hour.

EXT. BOUTIQUE-GALLERY - DAY
A quaint shop on a steep, narrow,
winding main artery filled with
tiny tourist traps.
A handcrafted sign reads DREAMLAND.

A horse-drawn carriage CLIP-CLOPS
by carrying a FAT TOURIST COUPLE,
who marvel at the sights.

Welcome to Echo Springs, Arkansas,
AKA Little Switzerland.

Population two thousand.
Twenty percent gay, forty percent artists.
A liberal oasis in a sea of red.

INT. DREAMLAND - CONTINUOUS
A cozy, airy joint stuffed with paintings,
furs, jewelry and high-priced art pieces.

Quiet, ethereal music plays on hidden speakers.
Crunchy granola ambiance, ahoy.

A WOMAN (40’s) stands at the counter.
Pretty, with short, curly dark hair.

One long, lone tendril spins down
the side of her cheek
as if daring you to comment.
Make art, not war.

Meet KAYLA CROSS, self-proclaimed
punk mountain dyke.

Right now she’s making a necklace.
It’s exacting work, handling
the tiny jewelry pieces
taking all of her concentration.

The music stops. Insanely cheerful
REDNECK COUNTRY starts playing,
like some kinda Charlie Daniels from hell.

An extremely unattractive HEAVYSET WOMAN (50’s)
appears, big fake smile a counterpoint
to eyes full of scared shitless.

Meet VIVI TIDWELL. Quite the vision
in mom jeans, gaudy cowboy boots and a
baby doll dress stretched over a stained leotard
that looks like it’s gonna burst any minute.

VIVI
Not done yet?

KAYLA
(softly)
It’s a -- tricky piece.

VIVI
But you made the fifteen dollar stuff so fast.

KAYLA
That’s because they cost fifteen dollars.
(holds it up)
This sells for ninety-five.
See all the detail?
Takes a little longer.

VIVI
Well, hurry it up.
I need you to dust all the glass
before you leave.

KAYLA
But Sula asked me to make a few of these.

VIVI
I could give a rat’s ass what Sula wants.

KAYLA
But she owns the store.
Don’t you think I should --

VIVI
NO. I’M running the store --
and when I say I want you to clean,
you’re gonna clean, UNDERSTAND?

PUSH IN ON Kayla’s face. Terrified.