True West (1980) by Sam Shepard Part 2

True West 11 LEE: Yeah. And you'd pretend you were Geronimo or some damn thing. You used to go right out to lunch. AUSTIN: I enjoyed my imagination. LEE: That what you call it? Looks like yer still enjoyin' it. AUSTIN: So you just wandered around up there, huh? LEE: Yeah. With a purpose. AUSTIN: See any houses? (pause) LEE: Couple. Couple a' real nice ones. One of 'em didn't even have a dog. Walked right up and stuck my head in the window. Not a peep. Just a sweet kinda' suburban silence. AUSTIN: What kind of a place was it? LEE: Like a paradise. Kinda' place that sorta' kills ya' inside. Warm yellow lights. Mexican tile all around. Copper pots hangin' over the stove. Ya' know like they got in the magazines. Blonde people movin' in and outa' the rooms, talkin' to each other. (pause) Kinda' place you wish you sorta' grew up in, ya' know. AUSTIN: That's the kind of place you wish you'd grown up in? LEE: Yeah, why not? AUSTIN: I thought you hated that kind of stuff. LEE: Yeah, well you never knew too much about me did ya'? (pause) AUSTIN: Why'd you go out to the desert in the first place? LEE: I was on my way to see the old man. AUSTIN: You mean you just passed through there? LEE: Yeah. That's right. Three months of passin' through. AUSTIN: Three months? LEE: Somethin' like that. Maybe more. Why? True West 12 AUSTIN: You lived on the Mojave for three months? LEE: Yeah. What'sa' matter with that? AUSTIN: By yourself? LEE: Mostly. Had a couple a' visitors. Had that dog for a while. AUSTIN: Didn't you miss people? LEE: (laughs) People? AUSTIN: Yeah. I mean I go crazy if I have to spend three nights in a motel by myself. LEE: Yer not in a motel now. AUSTIN: No, I know. But sometimes I have to stay in motels. LEE: Well, they got people in motels don't they? AUSTIN: Strangers. LEE: Yer friendly aren't ya'? Aren't you the friendly type? (pause) AUSTIN: I'm going to have somebody coming by here later, Lee. LEE: Ah! Lady friend? AUSTIN: No, a producer. LEE: Aha! What's he produce? AUSTIN: Film. Movies. You know. LEE: Oh, movies. Motion Pictures! A Big Wig huh? AUSTIN: Yeah. LEE: What's he comin' by here for? AUSTIN: We have to talk about a project. LEE: Whadya' mean, "a project"? What's "a project"? True West 13 AUSTIN: A script. LEE: Oh. That's what yer doin' with all these papers? AUSTIN: Yeah. LEE: Well, what's the project about? AUSTIN: We're uh--it's a period piece. LEE: What's "a period piece"? AUSTIN: Look, it doesn't matter. The main thing is we need to discuss this alone. I mean-LEE: Oh, I get it. You want me outa' the picture. AUSTIN: Not exactly. I just need to be alone with him for a couple of hours. So we can talk. LEE: Yer afraid I'll embarrass ya' huh? AUSTIN: I'm not afraid you'll embarrass me! LEE: Well, I tell ya' what--Why don't you just gimme the keys to yer car and I'll be back here around six o'clock or so. That give ya' enough time? AUSTIN: I'm not loaning you my car, Lee. LEE: You want me to just git lost huh? Take a hike? Is that it? Pound the pavement for a few hours while you bullshit yer way into a million bucks. AUSTIN: Look, it's going to be hard enough for me to face this character on my own without-LEE: You don't know this guy? AUSTIN: No I don't know--He's a producer. I mean I've been meeting with him for months but you never get to know a producer. LEE: Yer tryin' to hustle him? Is that it? AUSTIN: I'm not trying to hustle him! I'm trying to work out a deal! It's not easy. LEE: What kinda' deal? AUSTIN: Convince him it's a worthwhile story. True West 14 LEE: He's not convinced? How come he's comin' over here if he's not convinced? I'll convince him for ya'. AUSTIN: You don't understand the way things work down here. LEE: How do things work down here? (pause) AUSTIN: Look, if I loan you my car will you have it back here by six? LEE: On the button. With a full tank a' gas. AUSTIN: (digging in his pocket for keys) Forget about the gas. LEE: Hey, these days gas is gold, old buddy. (AUSTIN hands the keys to LEE) You remember that car I used to loan you? AUSTIN: Yeah. LEE: Forty Ford. Flathead. AUSTIN: Yeah. LEE: Sucker hauled ass didn't it? AUSTIN: Lee, it's not that I don't want to loan you my car-LEE: You are loanin' me yer car. (LEE gives AUSTIN a pat on the shoulder, pause) AUSTIN: I know. I just wish-LEE: What? You wish what? AUSTIN: I don't know. I wish I wasn't--I wish I didn't have to be doing business down here. I'd like to just spend some time with you. LEE: I thought it was "Art" you were doin'. (LEE moves across kitchen toward exit, tosses keys in his hand) True West 15 AUSTIN: Try to get it back here by six, okay? LEE: No sweat. Hey, ya' know, if that uh--story of yours doesn't go over with the guy--tell him I got a couple a' "projects" he might be interested in. Real commercial. Full a' suspense. True-tolife stuff. (LEE exits, AUSTIN stares after LEE then turns, goes to papers at table, leafs through pages, lights fade to black) Scene 3 Afternoon. Alcove, SAUL KIMMER and AUSTIN seated across from each other at table. SAUL: Well, to tell you the truth Austin, I have never felt so confident about a project in quite a long time. AUSTIN: Well, that's good to hear, Saul. SAUL: I am absolutely convinced we can get this thing off the ground. I mean we'll have to make a sale to television and that means getting a major star. Somebody bankable. But I think we can do it. I really do. AUSTIN: Don't you think we need a first draft before we approach a star? SAUL: No, no, not at all. I don't think it's necessary. Maybe a brief synopsis. I don't want you to touch the typewriter until we have some seed money. AUSTIN: That's fine with me. SAUL: I mean it's a great story. Just the story alone. You've really managed to capture something this time. AUSTIN: I'm glad you like it, Saul. (LEE enters abruptly into kitchen carrying a stolen television set, short pause) LEE: Aw shit, I'm sorry about that. I am really sorry Austin. AUSTIN: (standing) That's all right. LEE: (moving toward them) I mean I thought it was way past six already. You said to have it back here by six. AUSTIN: We were just finishing up. (to Saul) This is my, uh--brother, Lee. SAUL: (standing) Oh, I'm very happy to meet you. True West 16 (LEE sets T.V. on sink counter, shakes hands with SAUL) LEE: I can't tell ya' how happy I am to meet you sir. SAUL: Saul Kimmer. LEE: Mr. Kipper. SAUL: Kimmer. AUSTIN: Lee's been living out on the desert and he just uh-SAUL: Oh, that's terrific! (to LEE) Palm Springs? LEE: Yeah. Yeah, right. Right around in that area. Near uh-- Bob Hope Drive there. SAUL: Oh I love it out there. I just love it. The air is wonderful. LEE: Yeah. Sure is. Healthy. SAUL: And the golf. I don't know if you play golf, but the golf is just about the best. LEE: I play a lota' golf. SAUL: Is that right? LEE: Yeah. In fact I was hoping I'd run into somebody out here who played a little golf. I've been lookin' for a partner. SAUL: Well, I uh-AUSTIN: Lee's just down for a visit while our mother's in Alaska. SAUL: Oh, your mother's in Alaska? AUSTIN: Yes. She went up there on a little vacation. This is her place. SAUL: I see. Well isn't that something. Alaska. LEE: What kinda' handicap do ya' have, Mr. Kimmer? SAUL: Oh I'm just a Sunday duffer really. You know. LEE: That's good 'cause I haven't swung a club in months. SAUL: Well we ought to get together sometime and have a little game. Austin, do you play? True West 17 (SAUL mimes a Johnny Carson golf swing for AUSTIN) AUSTIN: No. I don't uh--I've watched it on T.V. LEE: (to SAUL) How 'bout tomorrow morning? Bright and early. We could get out there and put in eighteen holes before breakfast. SAUL: Well, I've got uh--I have several appointments-LEE: No, I mean real early. Crack a'dawn. While the dew's still thick on the fairway. SAUL: Sounds really great. LEE: Austin could be our caddie. SAUL: Now that's an idea. (laughs) AUSTIN: I don't know the first thing about golf. LEE: There's nothin' to it. Isn't that right, Saul? He'd pick it up in fifteen minutes. SAUL: Sure. Doesn't take long. 'Course you have to play for years to find your true form. (chuckles) LEE: (to AUSTIN) We'll give ya' a quick run-down on the club faces. The irons, the woods. Show ya' a couple pointers on the basic swing. Might even let ya' hit the ball a couple times. Whadya' think, Saul? SAUL: Why not. I think it'd be great. I haven't had any exercise in weeks. LEE: 'At's the spirit! We'll have a little orange juice right afterwards. (pause) SAUL: Orange juice? LEE: Yeah! Vitamin C! Nothin' like a shot a' orange juice after a round a' golf. Hot shower. Snappin' towels at each others' privates. Real sense a' fraternity. SAUL: (smiles at AUSTIN) Well, you make it sound very inviting, I must say. It really does sound great. LEE: Then it's a date. SAUL: Well, I'll call the country club and see if I can arrange something. True West 18 LEE: Great! Boy, I sure am sorry that I busted in on ya' all in the middle of yer meeting. SAUL: Oh that's quite all right. We were just about finished anyway. LEE: I can wait out in the other room if you want. SAUL: No really-LEE: Just got Austin's color T.V. back from the shop. I can watch a little amateur boxing now. (LEE and AUSTIN exchange looks) SAUL: Oh--Yes. LEE: You don't fool around in Television, do you Saul? SAUL: Uh--I have in the past. Produced some T.V. Specials. Network stuff. But it's mainly features now. LEE: That's where the big money is, huh? SAUL: Yes. That's right. AUSTIN: Why don't I call you tomorrow, Saul and we'll get together. We can have lunch or something. SAUL: That'd be terrific. LEE: Right after the golf. (pause) SAUL: What? LEE: You can have lunch right after the golf. SAUL: Oh, right. LEE: Austin was tellin' me that yer interested in stories. SAUL: Well, we develop certain projects that we feel have commercial potential. LEE: What kinda' stuff do ya' go in for? SAUL: Oh, the usual. You know. Good love interest. Lots of action. (chuckles at AUSTIN) True West 19 LEE: Westerns? SAUL: Sometimes. AUSTIN: I'll give you a ring, Saul. (AUSTIN tries to move SAUL across the kitchen but LEE blocks their way) LEE: I got a Western that'd knock yer lights out. SAUL: Oh really? LEE: Yeah. Contemporary Western. Based on a true story. 'Course I'm not a writer like my brother here. I'm not a man of the pen. SAUL: Well-LEE: I mean I can tell ya' a story off the tongue but I can't put it down on paper. That don't make any difference though does it? SAUL: No, not really. LEE: I mean plenty a' guys have stories don't they? True-life stories. Musta' been a lota' movies made from real life. SAUL: Yes. I suppose so. LEE: I haven't seen a good Western since Lonely Are the Brave. You remember that movie? SAUL: No, I'm afraid I-LEE: Kirk Douglas. Helluva movie. You remember that movie, Austin? AUSTIN: Yes. LEE: (to SAUL) The man dies for the love of a horse. SAUL: Is that right. LEE: Yeah. Ya' hear the horse screamin' at the end of it. Rain's comin' down. Horse is screamin'. Then there's a shot. BLAM! Just a single shot like that. Then nothin' but the sound of rain. And Kirk Douglas is ridin' in the ambulance. Ridin' away from the scene of the accident. And when he hears that shot he knows that his horse has died. He knows. And you see his eyes. And his eyes die. Right inside his face. And then his eyes close. And you know that he's died too. You know that Kirk Douglas has died from the death of his horse. True West 20 SAUL: (eyes AUSTIN nervously) Well, it sounds like a great movie. I'm sorry I missed it. LEE: Yeah, you shouldn't a' missed that one. SAUL: I'll have to try to catch it some time. Arrange a screening or something. Well, Austin, I'll have to hit the freeway before rush hour. AUSTIN: (ushers him toward exit) It's good seeing you, Saul. (AUSTIN and SAUL shake hands) LEE: So ya' think there's room for a real Western these days? A true-to-life Western? SAUL: Well, I don't see why not. Why don't you uh--tell the story to Austin and have him write a little outline. LEE: You'd take a look at it then? SAUL: Yes. Sure. I'll give it a read-through. Always eager for new material. (smiles at AUSTIN) LEE: That's great! You'd really read it then huh? SAUL: It would just be my opinion of course. LEE: That's all I want. Just an opinion. I happen to think it has a lota' possibilities. SAUL: Well, it was great meeting you and I'll-(SAUL and LEE shake) LEE: I'll call you tomorrow about the golf. SAUL: Oh. Yes, right. LEE: Austin's got your number, right? SAUL: Yes. LEE: So long Saul. (gives SAUL a pat on the back) (SAUL exits, AUSTIN turns to LEE, looks at T.V. then back to LEE) AUSTIN: Give me the keys. (AUSTIN extends his hand toward LEE, doesn't move, just stares at AUSTIN, smiles, lights to black)