They Shoot Rednecks, Don't They?

Happy Saturday, 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 her first trip to the local rural grocery store, but the quaint thrill of it all gets doused when Cate's food stamps card gets declined. Meanwhile Kayla's boss, shop owner and local artist Sula lies at home like a beached whale drinking boxed wine, and moans that she's 'no longer able to paint' ...


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.

EXT. SPARKS HOUSE - DAY
A big, rambling ranch house
on the edge of a bluff.

The overgrown front yard
sports a garden gnome and
other rural tchotchkes.

A dusty SUV is parked
in the gravel driveway.

A HUSKY BALD MAN (60’s)
wearing overalls and neon
pink sneakers comes lumbering by,
sporting a Bluetooth earpiece.

INT. SPARKS HOUSE - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Spacious, but incredibly messy.
You can practically smell the ripe aroma
of dirty gym socks on the page.

SULA SPARKS (50’s), cute but big and bloated,
sits at her desk cruising the internet.

Takes a sip of wine with ice in a plastic cup.
Vivi appears. Big, fake smile.

VIVI
Got ya two boxes of wine.
Put one in the fridge,
the other in the pantry.

Your meds are in the bathroom cabinet,
dog food’s by the cellar door,
and the new canvases are in your studio.

SULA
Don’t know what I’d do without you, Vivi.

VIVI
Ya know I’m here for ya.

SULA
We’re family.
(tears up)
I love you so much.

VIVI
Love you, too.

Sula nods. Takes another hit of wine.

VIVI
I was thinking -- since you’re
no longer coming to the store --
I could take over some stuff for you --
making the schedule, paying the bills,
ordering stuff for the shop --
(beat)
If you want.
(brightly)
Give you more time for painting.

Sula makes a face.
Another gulp. Blinks back tears.

SULA
I can’t paint.

VIVI
What do you mean you can’t paint?

SULA
I tried, but it’s all bad.
I can’t do it no more.
I just can’t.
I tried -- but I can’t.

VIVI
Enough of that talk.
You’re a great artist.
You hear me?
We just sold one of your
paintings for full price.
FULL PRICE.
Five hundred dollars.
Does that sound like
somebody who can’t paint?

SULA
(tiny voice)
Five hundred?

VIVI
Yep.

SULA
No haggling?

VIVI
No haggling.

Sula drains the cup. Belches.

VIVI
Want me to put on a pot of coffee?
(beat)
I could make you a sandwich --

SULA
Get me some lemons.

VIVI
Lemons? Why do you want lemons?

SULA
Eat a buncha lemons and you
ain’t gonna drink so much.