Screen Test

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In Chapter 22 of RIDGEWAY, Cate meets with Dixie mafia crime boss Big Boy at a local cafe, who hires her to write a movie about his life ...


EXT. ERNIE’S CAFE - DAY
A small clapboard house
on a residential street
that’s now a restaurant.

Tables on the front porch.
Red neon sign reads OPEN.

Blackboard reads SPECIAL: FISH BLT
in green chalk.

A green tram with three cars
comes down the street,
half-filled with TOURISTS.

The TOUR GUIDE (50’s), a portly local
with a voice like honey and molasses
gives his folksy spiel.

TOUR GUIDE
--- now the building on your left
used to be a gas station,
and believe it or not
is now an artist’s studio --
and on your right is a
bed and breakfast that
used to be the home
of Carrie Nation --

INT. ERNIE’S CAFE - DAY
A front room with a
big picture window.

Surprisingly bohemian cool.
We could be in Greenwich Village.

Only the bearded and beaded
arty-funky LOCALS give it away.

Cate and Big Boy sit at a
big round table in the corner,
feasting on the aforementioned
fish BLT’s.

BIG BOY
Got my fingers in a few pies.
Sell some real estate,
gotta motel out on the highway,
an antique store,
used car dealership --
and I told ya about
the bluegrass festival.

CATE
Impressive.

BIG BOY
Probably heard the rumor
going round that I’m involved
in some -- shady activities.

CATE
No, I haven’t.

BIG BOY
Completely blown outta proportion.
I do offer some services off the books --
high-interest loans for
people with bad credit,
run a high-stakes poker game,
stuff like that, but that’s
life in a small town.
People talk shit about you.

CATE
(carefully)
Then I would imagine you know --
the dark side of Echo.

BIG BOY
Hell, yeah. I got stories
that’d curl your hair.
(beat)
If I hire you to write my story,
would you sign a
-disclosure agreement?

CATE
Of course.
And I’d change the names
to protect the innocent.

Big Boy nods, thinking it over.

BIG BOY
How much you charge?

CATE
Five thousand,
paid in installments.
Take me about two,
three months tops.

BIG BOY
Got yourself a deal.

CATE
Great. I’ll email you my
standard contract so you can --

BIG BOY
Round these parts
a handshake’ll do.
I trust you.
(strangely)
You gotta nice face --