Two Broke Girls

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 11 of RIDGEWAY, Kayla takes Cate on a shopping spree at the local supermarket, which ends on a disappointing note when Cate discovers her food stamps card has been cancelled ...


EXT. GROCERY STORE - DAY
A down-home country store.
Adjacent to a laundromat
and a bait and tackle joint.

Sign reads:
SHIRT AND SHOES REQUIRED. NO WEAPONS.

A handful of cars and trucks
in the parking lot.

A LOCAL HOTTIE (40’s) in tight denim
and teased hair pushes
a shopping cart to her car,
cigarette dangling from her lips,
stilleto heels CLICK-CLACKING
on the cracked blacktop.

INT. GROCERY STORE - DAY
Not terribly well-lit.
Approaching grimy.

Country music plays at a low volume.
The few SHOPPERS we see sport beards,
big bellies and cowboy hats
straight outta Deadwood.

Cate pushes a cart, cruising
the aisles with Kayla.
Sees something. Gets excited. Grabs it.

CATE
Mini-pepperonis.

KAYLA
They’re four dollars.

CATE
Relax, I told you,
my food stamp card still works.
Doesn’t matter what state I’m in.

DOWN ANOTHER AISLE - LATER
The cart is almost full.

CATE
Fucking producer bailed.
Said my fee’s too high.
Cheap asshole fucktard.

KAYLA
You’ll find another one.

CATE
I better.
Bank account’s getting low.
Trip out here cost a lot more
than I thought it would.

KAYLA
Relax. I make enough.
We’ll be okay.

CATE
I know.
I just don’t want to be a burden.

AT THE CHECKOUT AISLE
The CHECKOUT GIRL (40’s), a big gal
with thick glasses and a friendly face
cheerfully finishes ringing them up
while a SKINNY KID (18)
bags their groceries.

CHECKOUT GIRL
That’ll be a hundred-thirteen dollars
and seventy-seven cents.

Cate swipes her food stamps
debit card on the machine.

Pushes a series of buttons. Waits.
Checkout looks at her screen.

CHECKOUT GIRL
Sorry. Says ‘declined.’

CATE
Can I try it again?

Checkout gives her a big smile,
revealing a missing tooth.

CHECKOUT GIRL
Sure thing.

Cate swipes it again.
Pushes buttons. Waits.

CHECKOUT GIRL
Nope. Sorry.

Kayla sighs.
Digs out her card.
Hands it over.