What Just Happened? (29 page)

A
BA
: And Don Johnson was three tables away. Now he'd be very good in this movie.

B
EN
: Uh-huh.

A
BA
: Can you make this movie in fifty days?

B
EN
: Fifty days? Well, there's no director yet and no scr … I don't know.

A
BA
: Have you ever visited Luxembourg?

B
EN
: Luxembourg? No.

A
BA
: We can get some real, how would you say, breaks there. Could you excuse me for a moment.

Aba, recognizing someone from across the restaurant, leaves the table. Ben looks at the young women, they smile back
.

B
EN
: Where does he get his money?

J
OHNNY
: Dry cleaning. He started by cleaning the wardrobes for the movie studios. He charged them ten dollar a suit. They pay. Next time he charged them fifty dollar a suit. They pay. Next time he charged them hundred dollar a suit. They pay. He says, ‘I want to be in the movie business,' I understand these people.

B
EN
: So does he still have the money?

J
OHNNY
: Oh, yeah. We can count on him.

One of the girls lifts her glass and proposes a toast. She looks into Ben's eyes, takes a beat
.

L
AURA
: The past is HISTORY … today's a
GIFT
… and that's why we call it the PRESENT. Cheers.

They all look at each other without reaction and continue talking
.

J
OHNNY
: (
turning back to Ben
) Hey, Ben. Do you know Tina Mercado?

B
EN
: Uhhh … Latin dancer?

J
OHNNY
: No. Actress.
Instant Karma
.

B
EN
: No.

J
OHNNY
: It's Aba's ex-wife.

B
EN
: Uh-huh.

Johnny makes a fist with his left hand and straightens his forearm simulating a hard-on. The girls perk up, they've seen Johnny do this before. He gently bounces his elbow up and down on the table and smiles
.

J
OHNNY
: Bumbala, bomba …

Ben's cell phone rings. He nods for Johnny to continue
.

J
OHNNY
: He say, ‘she cost me thirty two million dollars but she can suck the paint …'

Before Johnny can finish, Ben decides to answer
.

B
EN
: Hello? … Kelly. Kelly. (
to the table
) Please, excuse me. (
into the phone
) I'm so glad you called me back.

Ben gets up and starts for the door
.

INT. GIORGIO'S ENTRANCE

He stands by the entrance
.

B
EN
: I'm so glad you called me back.

K
ELLY
: So, an actor more important than the mother of your children?

B
EN
: Yes. It was my fault, of course I don't think he is as important as you.

K
ELLY
: Ten times you called.

B
EN
: No. No. I did not call you ten times today. I called you four times … I'm just trying to find a quiet place …

K
ELLY
: What was so damned important. Couldn't be me.

B
EN
: Well, I'll tell you what was so important. I just wanted to … to know …

A beat. He clears his throat
.

B
EN
: Is anyone else other than you sleeping in my old bed?

K
ELLY
: You lost that privilege over two years ago. You have no right to ask me that.

B
EN
: … No. No. No. I know I don't have the right, but, but. Wait a minute! I believe thirty thousand a month entitles me to something, I gotta be frank with you.

K
ELLY
: Fuck you.

B
EN
: I have never heard you say ‘fuck you' like that to me in front of the kids.

K
ELLY
: The kids're sleeping.

B
EN
: Uh-huh. Well, okay, then. Look, can't we discuss this now. I'll come over. Please. I'm hurting. It's very important. I really want to talk to you about it.

K
ELLY
: You're hurting?

B
EN
: … yes, there I've said it … ‘
I'm hurting
.'

K
ELLY
: You really are?

B
EN
: Yes.

Just as the moment gets confessional, Ben sees Dick, the agent with the nervous stomach with Jerry, a man in his late sixties riddled with bad plasticfacial surgery and an eye patch enter the restaurant. Without a thought Ben interrupts his call to Kelly, and spread-eagles his arms out to Dick
.

B
EN
: Dick? Dick? I need to talk to you …

We can hear a loud scream through the cell phone, ‘YOU BASTARD' as Ben pulls the phone back to his ear
.

B
EN
: I'm back.

K
ELLY
: Get some help.

B
EN
: It's a very bad habit … you are absolutely right and I'm working on it. Look, can't we discuss this now!

K
ELLY
: Not now. I gotta go.

B
EN
: I suppose it's not the right time. Yes. I'll speak to you soon. Thank you for returning my call. It meant alot.

Ben hangs up and re-enters Giorgio's
.

INT. GIORGIO'S RESTAURANT

He gathers himself and walks over to Dick's table near the entrance. After hellos are exchanged, Ben leans in to Dick to get a private word. There is no seat at the table so he joins them by resting on one knee
.

B
EN
: Did you tell him?

D
ICK
: I alluded to it.

B
EN
:
Alluded
?

D
ICK
: Yes. Alluded. Yes.

B
EN
: A picture is about to get cancelled. What does that mean?
Alluded
.

D
ICK
: I … I told him I have something very important to discuss.

B
EN
: Did you tell him what it was about?

D
ICK
: Not yet.

B
EN
: Oh Dick. We're out of time. C'mon. No more alluding.

Dick starts to gag but courageously manages to suppress it
.

D
ICK
: I'm going to do it. I won't allude.

Ben nods to Jerry
.

B
EN
: Well, sorry for the intrusion. (
to Jerry
) What's with the patch?

J
ERRY
: Shingles. My lid. It occasionally flutters. It's nothing.

B
EN
: Of course. We're just glad it's not serious.

J
ERRY
: If I went blind you'd celebrate.

B
EN
: Probably.

Ben takes one more look at Dick and wonders whether he was persuasive enough
.

B
EN
: I hope you know that you are sitting with a great ex-agent.

He reaches down to Dick's shoulder and whispers
.

B
EN
: Dick, just give me one more minute. You got to. (
to Jerry
) Excuse us.

The two retreat to a sequestered spot
.

B
EN
: How could you call him and not mention this?

D
ICK
: There's a logic to these things. You met him. The man's an animal. When I called him today, he hadn't eaten yet. Wrong time. You got to do this when there's an open window.

B
EN
: We don't have that many windows left. When is the next window?

D
ICK
: After A.A. would be a window.

B
EN
: When is that?

D
ICK
: Two days.

B
EN
: That's no good. What's tomorrow morning?

D
ICK
: Analysis. He'll be nuts for at least three hours after that. You don't want to mention ‘lawsuit' or ‘beard' after his psychotherapy.

B
EN
: Listen to me. I don't care what it is. Find a ‘window' tomorrow. That's it.

D
ICK
: AAAARRRUUGH! Sorry, that was a big one. That's it. I'll do it.

Cut to:

INT. GIORGIO'S RESTAURANT

Ben ducks into the small unisex bathroom off the kitchen
.

INT. GIORGIO'S RESTAURANT/BATHROOM

Laura, the girl from his table, barges in and joins Ben
.

L
AURA
: I know what you think this looks like but it's not. Johnny did not send me to make you ‘happy.' I wanted to meet you on my own. I know everything you've done, I know who you are and I'm not some silly girl in tight clothes. I went to Stanford.

B
EN
: It's a good school.

They are squeezed together in the tiny bathroom
.

L
AURA
: I just want to get to know you.

B
EN
: Me … you know me … it's … What's your name again?

L
AURA
: Laura.

B
EN
: Laura.

Laura moves closer
.

L
AURA
: I respect you and your movies and I know if I did not take this chance now, no matter how aggressive this seems, my chance will never come up again.

So—

B
EN
: That's so flattering. I mean, I guess if I were a tailor, you'd still be doing this. Am I right?

L
AURA
: You are such a funny person. And I just wanted you to know that there is nothing I wouldn't do to have a chance to see you on my own with no strings attached. Unless you want to do something now?

B
EN
: Now! Here?

L
AURA
: Then just call me.

She is holding up a piece of paper with her phone number on it
.

L
AURA
: Open.

Ben opens his mouth and she places the piece of paper between his lips
.

L
AURA
: Close. Try not to get that wet.

She exits the bathroom
.

BEN'S BMW—NIGHT

Ben is seated in his car outside of Kelly's house
.

SUPER
: 11:30
PM

There's a couple of lights on upstairs. Ben just sits there gazing at the windows, the argyle sock in his hand. A shadow walks by followed by another. Are the moving silhouettes in the window more than one person? Ben dials Kelly's number. The machine picks up. He doesn't leave a message. He hangs up and drives away
.

Cut to:

INT. BEN'S BEDROOM WEDNESDAY

An alarm loudly blares. Ben's hand reaches for it. He looks ravaged and out of sorts. He peruses the room as if he forgot something
.

SUPER
: 7:00
AM

Ben is on the floor in front of a mirror doing yoga poses when Laura, the development girl from Giorgio's, enters the room
.

L
AURA
: I can't stay for breakfast. I got three scripts to read. Hmmm …

Ben is startled and confused, having no memory that she was ever there. She leans over Ben, who looks trapped and lost. She lifts her blouse
.

L
AURA
: (
cont'd
) (
softly
) You want to kiss them one more time?

B
EN
: Uhhh.

L
AURA
: You don't remember a thing do you?

B
EN
: (
smiles
) I remember offering you a two-picture deal.

L
AURA
: … and that was before we dropped the ecstacy.

I dig older guys.

Ben sees his reflection. He looks ten years older than the night before
.

L
AURA
: (
cont'd
) I got to go.

B
EN
: (
relieved
) If you have to.

Ben watches her walk away
.

B
EN
: (
cont'd
) Wait!

Laura stands by the bedroom door
.

B
EN
: (
cont'd
) I changed my mind. I think I do want to kiss them one more time.

L
AURA
: Well … that's the spirit.

Laura laughs, walks into the room, and closes the door
.

INT BEN'S APARTMENT—30 MINUTES LATER

Ben, now alone, is dressed in a suit and tie making an espresso. The espresso machine, sound system, and TV are his only accoutrements of luxury in his spare apartment
.

Traffic on Sunset is already starting to build up. Screaming kids are playing while waiting for the school bus
.

Ben glances at the
Daily Variety.
The headlines just won't go away: ‘TOO YOUNG TO GIVE UP 10%.' ‘TEARS MIXED WITH DARK RUMORS.' ‘WHO'S GRAVE-GRABBING JACK'S CLIENTS NOW?
'

Ben downs his espresso as if it were medicine. He chases it with a Red Bull. His assistant, Dawn, calls
.

B
EN
: Hello.

D
AWN
: Good morning, Ben. Sid's office sent an e-mail that he wants the Bruce-slash-beard situation handled before lunch.

B
EN
: Tell them, I'm on it.

D
AWN
: And don't forget to be on time for the
Vanity Fair
photo. Eleven a.m.

B
EN
: I know.

D
AWN
: Quite an honor. Producers with power.