PART 7
MAGGIE
(shouts over the music)
Listen, Gill -- Theres this reporter
whos ben making my life a living hell
... If he comes by here, dont talk to
him. And whatever yo do....
(crosses to Gill)
... Dont show him that picture of me
at the concert in San Francisco --
Suddenly, a loud CHUCKLING emanates from the car overhead.
MAGGIE (contd)
What was that?
Maggie stops Gill from playing. She shoots her ex an angry glare
and moves a lever on the shop wall. With a HUM, the car descends.
GILL
We went to San Francisco twice.
Remember one time we had a flat tire...
Which picture?
As the hydraulic lift slows, the car is lowered, revealing Ike
sitting in the drivers seat. He has been enjoying the
photograph hes holding.
IKE
(feigning shock)
Imagine! Maggie Carpenter topless in a
public arena.
(checks photo again)
And I see there was a chill in the air.
Maggie swipes for the photo, but Ike is faster at pulling it away.
MAGGIE
Give me that!
IKE
But the most interesting thing here is
that I dont see the rose tattoo that
Ive heard about on your back.
Gill takes off his guitar and sets it down.
GILL
Ike bet me fifty bucks you dont still
have it, Mags. I said "Youre on, man!
Maggie loved that thing!" And I could
really use fifty bucks.
Maggie is conspicuously silent.
GILL (contd)
(looking worried)
Mags?
MAGGIE
Im not gonna show you guys anything.
I am a soon-to-be-married woman. Now
give me that photograph.
Maggie seethes.
IKE
Sure, I would love to give this to you.
Just give us one quick gander at that
rose, and, Ill gladly hand it over.
She tries to grab the photo again. Ike pulls it away.
MAGGIE
Fine. Here.
Maggie quickly turns around and pulls down the back of her shirt,
revealing the top of her back and a pristine expanse of skin. No
tattoo.
MAGGIE (contd)
(turning back around)
Satisfied?
IKE
Completely.
Gill is still trying to grasp the meaning of this.
GILL
Maggie? You got it removed?
IKE
Gill, Ill go ya double or nothing if
was a stick-on.
GILL
(dismayed)
Maggie?
MAGGIE
(admitting)
Im really, really afraid of needles...
It doesnt make me a bad person.
Ike laughs. Maggie looks at him with rage. Gill dramatically
pulls down the front of his t-shirt.
GILL
Look.
There it is on Gills chest: the rose tattoo. Maggie sighs,
pained. Gill shows it to Ike. Ike looks at the tattoo. He
shakes his head at Maggie.
IKE
(sincerely)
Look, look, man. I think the man is
heartbroken.
MAGGIE
He is not!
Maggie moves the lever on the wall again, sending Ike back up to
the ceiling in the car. She grabs the photo from Ike and exits.
GILL
I think I am.
Gill grabs his guitar and sits.
GILL (contd)
Hey, Ike, what would Jerry do?
The hydraulic lift stops moving. Ike leans out.
IKE
Jerry. Hed play. Hed play... Jerry
would play his heart out.
Ike sings and taps along in tempo on the side of the car as Gill
sings and plays "Ripple".
CUT TO:
EXT. HOTEL PORCH - NEXT DAY, SATURDAY MORNING
As Maggie drives into town with Peggy, they see Ike on porch with
SHERIFF, POLICE CHIEF and MAIL MAN, all playing instruments as
a blues band. Ike is not bad on slide guitar. They all like
Ike.
Maggie "CHUFFAS"; with Peggy and moves on.
EXT. SOFTBALL FIELD - LATER THAT DAY
CLOSE ON:
The slow, loopy pitch of a softball. A bat connects.
NEW ANGLE:
A big wholesome man, CORY, runs for first base. He just beats
out the throw. Bob, acting as umpire, yells, "Safe!" Happy,
Cory turns to the stands and waves.
ANGLE ON:
Maggie and Peggy, cheering loudly. Peggy tries to whoop harder
than Maggie, but that would be tough. From firs base, Cory waves
back to them. The two women sit back down and Maggie takes back
up with their conversation. Maggie is still al steamed up.
MAGGIE
Okay, hes on base. Can we talk about
my life now? -- Ikes going to turn
that tattoo stuff into a big deal --
that I was never serious about Gill,
blah blah. Hes totally out to get me.
PEGGY
For what reason? Some personal
satisfaction?
MAGGIE
Thats what he says, but if he thinks
that I dont realize hes writing
another article, then hes an idiot.
PEGGY
Its probably because you got him fired.
MAGGIE
(sarcastic)
Ya think?
PEGGY
Not that he doesnt deserve to get
fired... Look! Corys going for
second!... Sneaky!
ANGLE ON:
Cory as he runs for second base and with a slide beats the throw
for the force out. The women jump and cheer -- Maggie, again,
the most boisterous.
ANGLE ON:
Dennis recognizes Ike as he walks up. Dennis tells Ike that he
is going to marry Maggie some day and shows Ike where Maggie is
sitting.
ANGLE ON:
Maggie spots Ike as they sit back down. She groans.
MAGGIE
There he is. Snoop Doggy-Dogg.
PEGGY
Where?
MAGGIE
Over there. Ten oclock. Hes talking
to our little Dennis. Dennis will turn
into one of those "sources say" things.
PEGGY
He looks better with that stuff out of
his hair. Hes an attractive man.
Ike finds Maggie in the crowd and leaves Dennis.
MAGGIE
Id say youve been in the sun too long.
You handle him, okay? I could use five
minutes off from that creep.
Before Peggy can protest, Maggie climbs down off the bleachers
and goes and stands near the dugout near the rest of Corys team.
PEGGY
Okay, thats fine. I can do that.
Ike comes up to Peggy.
IKE
Hello, Peggy Phleming, "not the ice-skater".
Ike indicates the seat next to Peggy.
PEGGY
(protesting weakly)
Thats Maggies seat...
Ike sits down comfortably.
IKE
... And this is Maggies beer.
He starts drinking it. ON THE FIELD, Cory is getting ready to
steal third.
IKE (contd)
That your husband out there? Cory
Phleming, a local radio announcer.
PEGGY
Have you listened to his morning show,
"Wake up with ballplayer"?
IKE
Not yet. I had a phlemless morning. I
hear hes a pretty good ballplayer.
PEGGY
This game is pretty important to him.
He made all-stars in high school, you
know.
IKE
That must have made you proud.
Peggy takes a small sip off her soda.
PEGGY
He was going with Maggie back then.
(quickly)
He was never one of her... I mean, they
were never going to get... They just
dated for a while.
Cory dives in for third and makes it. The crowd goes wild.
Peggy yells and jumps in.
PEGGY (contd)
Good job, honey!
But Maggies whoop sails out above it all. Cory waves. But not
at Peggy. He directs his delight at Maggie, who jumps up and
down by the dugout.
Ike looks between Cory, Maggie and finally, Peggy. Peggy jerks
her waving hand back down to her side and sits down. Ike
pretends not to have noticed. The two watch as Maggie and Cory
smile at each other.
IKE
Its nice that theyre still friends.
PEGGY
(looking at Maggie
and Cory)
Oh, sure. That was a long time ago.
See, shes not a man-hater at all.
Shes very supportive of men...
Next BATTER hits one to deep left field and it lands in the grave
yard. Cory scores, greeted by Maggie. Ike and Peggy watch as
Cory and Maggie belly-bump and high-five each other in
celebration of Corys play. No looks at Peggy. Ike keeps an
empathetic silence, seeing that Peggy is truly hurt.
PEGGY (contd)
Ill be back in a second.
Suddenly, Peggy stands, pushes past him and runs down the steps.
Maggie looks up just in time to catch Peggys exit. Ike pulls
his tape recorder out of his pocket and starts speaking into it.
Maggie shoots Ike an accusing look, walks up to him in the
bleachers and sits next to him.
MAGGIE
Youve been here for three minutes.
What did you do to her?
IKE
You can turn that finger around.
Ike does an on-the-button imitation of Maggie jumping excitedly
at Cory. Now Maggie sees what hes getting at.
MAGGIE
(defensive)
You misinterpret everything. Weve all
been friends our whole lives. But
thats the types of relationship you
wouldnt understand.
IKE
Obviously, Im not the only one who
doesnt understand it. The USS Maggie
leaves quite a wake... Excuse me.
Ike walks away. Alone, Maggie tries to seem enthused.
MAGGIE
See, I cheer good. What is he, a cheer
critic?
EXT./INT. STREET/BAR - LATER - DUSK
Sitting in front of Inn Hale Bar, we see the BARTENDER
pantomiming holding the reins of a wildly galloping horse. Weve
seen something like this before. Maggies wild ride away from
her last wedding. Ike laughs with Bartender just as Maggie
drives by the bar and sees this.
MAGGIE
(to herself)
This guy never stops.
INT. ATLANTIC HOTEL - NIGHT
Maggie walks up to the front desk of the hotel, where Lee is
sleeping with his feet up. She knocks his feet off the counter.
MAGGIE
Lee, hey, wake up. Give me the key to
the reporters room. I want to snoop
around.
LEE
(handing her the key)
Okay. Second floor.
MAGGIE
Thanks.
LEE
Dont take anything big.
Maggie moves up the stairs towards Ikes room