Pickled Dates (movie script) *Part 4 of 8*
Almost half way through...
INT: NICK’S APARTMENT: AFTERNOON
CU ON NICK, He’s reading his newspaper at the kitchen table. Then he gets frustrated and slaps the paper on the table. He stands up.
NICK
(slightly yelling)
What’s wrong with me? She talks to me, and I say nothing! I just stare at her dumbly! (calm) I think I love her.
There’s a knock at the door and Nick walks over to answer it. He opens the door to reveal Albert standing there once again.
ALBERT
Hey there, Nick!
NICK
Hello Albert.
ALBERT
How are things?
NICK
Things are fine.
ALBERT
Good... I don’t have electricity now.
NICK
That’s nice.
ALBERT
Yeah, I’m managing though... (he starts looking worried) Oh, please Nick! I beg you! Please let me stay with you! It will only be a few weeks. Just enough time so that I can make some money in my business and be able to pay rent again...
NICK
I’m sorry Albert. I really am. But I don’t think I can help you. The place seems crowded as it is.
ALBERT
You won’t even notice I’m here! It’ll just be me, my pillow, a toothbrush, and some jars of pickled dates I picked up at the store a couple days ago.
NICK
What did you say?
ALBERT
When?
NICK
Just now.
ALBERT
(stating)
When.
NICK
No! Before that! Did you say you have pickled dates?
ALBERT
Yeah, about three jars left. I ate the other two already.
NICK
Three jars you say?
ALBERT
Yeah. I have some baseball socks too.
NICK
(thinking hard)
Albert. I’ll make a deal with you. If you give me those three jars of pickled dates AND promise to never bother me, I will let you stay in my apartment. (Albert gets excited) But only for three weeks at the most!
ALBERT
(happy)
Ah thank you Nick! You’re awesome, man! I knew you’d come through for me! Thank you!
NICK
Yeah yeah...go get those dates. (shoos him away)
ALBERT
Ha ha ha!
Albert laughs excitedly as he runs across the hall to his apartment door. When he reaches the door, he turns the handle, but its locked. He keeps trying to open it and starts banging his shoulder into the door.
NICK
Oh boy.
CUT TO:
INT: NICK’S LIVING ROOM: EVENING
CU ON NICK, He’s watching television, sitting on his couch. He stares at the screen, then his eyes glance to his left, and his face gets a pained look, and he shifts his body so as to keep himself from looking to his left. Albert is sitting at the kitchen table staring at Nick and grinning big. Eventually Nick gets really annoyed.
NICK
Albert, isn’t there something else you could be doing?
ALBERT
Like what?
NICK
Take your Propecia or something.
ALBERT
Already have. I sprinkled it on some cantaloupe.
NICK
Wonderful. Then read the newspaper. Just please stop looking at me.
ALBERT
Oh, sorry. I’m just so happy you let me stay here.
NICK
(abruptly)
Paper.
Albert turns around in his chair and grabs the newspaper. He flips through it for a bit and then stops on the Egyptian Magician ad.
ALBERT
No wonder he steals all my customers! He must have paid like two million dollars for that thing!
NICK
(not really interested)
What are you talking about?
ALBERT
The Egyptian Magician. He’s my arch rival, always steals my birthday parties. He has this ginormous ad in the paper. I despise the man...though I do wonder how he does his mummified cat trick. He takes this live cat and-
NICK
Albert, please. I shouldn’t have asked. I’m busy right now. I’m sorry, but I don’t feel like listening to you prattle on about toilet papered felines. Just be quiet until this show is over, please...
ALBERT
(sad)
Ok. Sorry.
Albert gets up from his chair and sulks over to a sleeping bag on the floor in the corner of the room. He takes off his shirt and socks and then gets into the bag and turns on the side that isn’t facing Nick. Nick looks at him, starts to feel bad, and then sighs.
FADE TO:
INT: NICK’S APARTMENT: EARLY MORNING
CU ON NICK, He’s doing his normal morning routine, whip cream on waffles, watching “Imus in the Morning,” and staring in the bathroom mirror. He gets dressed, then sees Albert still sleeping on the floor. He feels bad about the night before and frowns. He grabs a piece of paper and a pen and writes a letter to Albert saying “There’s plenty of food in the refrigerator, help yourself to breakfast.” He sets the paper on the kitchen table and then leaves the apartment.
CUT TO:
INT: MARKET: MORNING
CU ON NICK, He sits at the same table as the days before. He’s waiting for the beautiful woman once again.
NICK
Nick, you’re going to talk to her this time. You can do it. You are supreme.
He waits and waits... And sips coffee, but she never comes. CU on door from time to time Eventually, once his stomach starts growling, Nick gets up and leaves, deciding he would just come back tomorrow.
NICK
Maybe tomorrow.
CUT TO:
INT: NICK’S APARTMENT: AFTERNOON
CU ON NICK, He opens the door to his apartment and walks inside. Albert is sitting on the couch with his feet on the coffee table watching television and eating pork rinds. Once he sees Nick, he stands up quickly.
ALBERT
Hey Nick.
NICK
(nicely)
Hey Albert. How you doing today?
ALBERT
I’m alright.
NICK
Any luck with your business? Get any calls today?
ALBERT
I got a few... Most of them asking if I do pre-natal care as well. But I did get one other.
NICK
(smiling)
Oh really? Good for you!
ALBERT
It was the landlord. He sold my apartment.
Nick stares at Albert, and his smile slowly fades to nothing. He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths.
NICK
That’s alright Albert. You can stay here as long as you need to.
ALBERT
(smiles and hugs Nick)
Ah, Thanks Nick. You’re a savior.
Nick holds his arms to the side as Albert hugs them, then brings one up and pats Albert on the back. Albert releases him.
ALBERT
Oh, I hope you don’t mind, but I invited my girlfriend, Heather, to come over tonight...just for a little while.
NICK
I suppose that would be alright.
ALBERT
Great.
CUT TO...
Half way through...thanks for staying with me this long!
© 2005 Steven Weir (All rights reserved)
INT: NICK’S APARTMENT: AFTERNOON
CU ON NICK, He’s reading his newspaper at the kitchen table. Then he gets frustrated and slaps the paper on the table. He stands up.
NICK
(slightly yelling)
What’s wrong with me? She talks to me, and I say nothing! I just stare at her dumbly! (calm) I think I love her.
There’s a knock at the door and Nick walks over to answer it. He opens the door to reveal Albert standing there once again.
ALBERT
Hey there, Nick!
NICK
Hello Albert.
ALBERT
How are things?
NICK
Things are fine.
ALBERT
Good... I don’t have electricity now.
NICK
That’s nice.
ALBERT
Yeah, I’m managing though... (he starts looking worried) Oh, please Nick! I beg you! Please let me stay with you! It will only be a few weeks. Just enough time so that I can make some money in my business and be able to pay rent again...
NICK
I’m sorry Albert. I really am. But I don’t think I can help you. The place seems crowded as it is.
ALBERT
You won’t even notice I’m here! It’ll just be me, my pillow, a toothbrush, and some jars of pickled dates I picked up at the store a couple days ago.
NICK
What did you say?
ALBERT
When?
NICK
Just now.
ALBERT
(stating)
When.
NICK
No! Before that! Did you say you have pickled dates?
ALBERT
Yeah, about three jars left. I ate the other two already.
NICK
Three jars you say?
ALBERT
Yeah. I have some baseball socks too.
NICK
(thinking hard)
Albert. I’ll make a deal with you. If you give me those three jars of pickled dates AND promise to never bother me, I will let you stay in my apartment. (Albert gets excited) But only for three weeks at the most!
ALBERT
(happy)
Ah thank you Nick! You’re awesome, man! I knew you’d come through for me! Thank you!
NICK
Yeah yeah...go get those dates. (shoos him away)
ALBERT
Ha ha ha!
Albert laughs excitedly as he runs across the hall to his apartment door. When he reaches the door, he turns the handle, but its locked. He keeps trying to open it and starts banging his shoulder into the door.
NICK
Oh boy.
CUT TO:
INT: NICK’S LIVING ROOM: EVENING
CU ON NICK, He’s watching television, sitting on his couch. He stares at the screen, then his eyes glance to his left, and his face gets a pained look, and he shifts his body so as to keep himself from looking to his left. Albert is sitting at the kitchen table staring at Nick and grinning big. Eventually Nick gets really annoyed.
NICK
Albert, isn’t there something else you could be doing?
ALBERT
Like what?
NICK
Take your Propecia or something.
ALBERT
Already have. I sprinkled it on some cantaloupe.
NICK
Wonderful. Then read the newspaper. Just please stop looking at me.
ALBERT
Oh, sorry. I’m just so happy you let me stay here.
NICK
(abruptly)
Paper.
Albert turns around in his chair and grabs the newspaper. He flips through it for a bit and then stops on the Egyptian Magician ad.
ALBERT
No wonder he steals all my customers! He must have paid like two million dollars for that thing!
NICK
(not really interested)
What are you talking about?
ALBERT
The Egyptian Magician. He’s my arch rival, always steals my birthday parties. He has this ginormous ad in the paper. I despise the man...though I do wonder how he does his mummified cat trick. He takes this live cat and-
NICK
Albert, please. I shouldn’t have asked. I’m busy right now. I’m sorry, but I don’t feel like listening to you prattle on about toilet papered felines. Just be quiet until this show is over, please...
ALBERT
(sad)
Ok. Sorry.
Albert gets up from his chair and sulks over to a sleeping bag on the floor in the corner of the room. He takes off his shirt and socks and then gets into the bag and turns on the side that isn’t facing Nick. Nick looks at him, starts to feel bad, and then sighs.
FADE TO:
INT: NICK’S APARTMENT: EARLY MORNING
CU ON NICK, He’s doing his normal morning routine, whip cream on waffles, watching “Imus in the Morning,” and staring in the bathroom mirror. He gets dressed, then sees Albert still sleeping on the floor. He feels bad about the night before and frowns. He grabs a piece of paper and a pen and writes a letter to Albert saying “There’s plenty of food in the refrigerator, help yourself to breakfast.” He sets the paper on the kitchen table and then leaves the apartment.
CUT TO:
INT: MARKET: MORNING
CU ON NICK, He sits at the same table as the days before. He’s waiting for the beautiful woman once again.
NICK
Nick, you’re going to talk to her this time. You can do it. You are supreme.
He waits and waits... And sips coffee, but she never comes. CU on door from time to time Eventually, once his stomach starts growling, Nick gets up and leaves, deciding he would just come back tomorrow.
NICK
Maybe tomorrow.
CUT TO:
INT: NICK’S APARTMENT: AFTERNOON
CU ON NICK, He opens the door to his apartment and walks inside. Albert is sitting on the couch with his feet on the coffee table watching television and eating pork rinds. Once he sees Nick, he stands up quickly.
ALBERT
Hey Nick.
NICK
(nicely)
Hey Albert. How you doing today?
ALBERT
I’m alright.
NICK
Any luck with your business? Get any calls today?
ALBERT
I got a few... Most of them asking if I do pre-natal care as well. But I did get one other.
NICK
(smiling)
Oh really? Good for you!
ALBERT
It was the landlord. He sold my apartment.
Nick stares at Albert, and his smile slowly fades to nothing. He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths.
NICK
That’s alright Albert. You can stay here as long as you need to.
ALBERT
(smiles and hugs Nick)
Ah, Thanks Nick. You’re a savior.
Nick holds his arms to the side as Albert hugs them, then brings one up and pats Albert on the back. Albert releases him.
ALBERT
Oh, I hope you don’t mind, but I invited my girlfriend, Heather, to come over tonight...just for a little while.
NICK
I suppose that would be alright.
ALBERT
Great.
CUT TO...
Half way through...thanks for staying with me this long!
© 2005 Steven Weir (All rights reserved)