PART 2

  INT.HARDWARESTORE-TINUOUS

  PeggyandMrs.Pressmaer,worried.

  MRS.PRESSMAN

  YoutellMaggie.

  PEGGY

  No,youtellher.

  MRS.PRESSMAN

  No,no.Youreherbestfriend.

  PEGGY

  No.

  MRS.PRESSMAN

  (holdingher

  neer)

  Youknow,itsjustpossiblethatshe

  hashisyet.

  PEGGY

  Yeah.

  MRS.PRESSMAN

  Maybeshehashepaper...

  Ontheter,theyseeacopyofUSATodayopehe

  articleaboutMaggie.

  MRS.PRESSMAN(td)

  ...Ornot!

  WefollowMAGGIEdownthebackstairsiheHaleHardware

  Store,theprettiest,mostwelingshopofitskindanywhere

  insmalltownUSA.Somehowtheplacehatakenonthespiritof

  theownersdaughter;bothstopandshop-girlradiatebrightness,

  charm,andpossibility.Maggieesdownstepswithafaucet

  handleaoanelderlyer,MR.PAXTON.

  MAGGIE

  (bright)

  Herewego!Oiquehotwater

  hahthe"HOT"stillonit,

  guaraofitanyAmeriStandard

  castirontubwithafour-ier

  madebetween1924and1938.Inother

  words,Ithinkyoureoutofthe

  doghousewithMrs.Paxton.

  MR.PAXTON

  (amazed)

  Hallelujah.

  MAGGIE

  Alright,Mr.Paxton,Illputiton

  yourat.

  Maggieroundsthebend,anotherer,EARL,standsbythe

  paintmae.

  EARL

  Maggie.

  MAGGIE

  (walkingpaster)

  Youdontneedanairditioner,Earl,

  youjustneedanatti--Theres

  moreintheback.

  Maggiestepsbehindthefrontterofthestoreandtakesthe

  atbookout.Hervoicetrailsoffassheseesthedour

  expressiononthefacesofherfriends.

  MAGGIE(td)

  What?

  Peggynervouslymentionstheneer.

  PEGGY

  (delicate)

  So--Mag--youveseenthis,huh?

  MAGGIE

  (serious)

  Yes,Iveseenit.AndIhavetosay

  itstherudestandmostoffensive...

  jokeanybodyseverplayedonme!

  Totheiramazement,Maggiestartssmiling.

  MAGGIE(td)

  Youguys!Howlongdidthistakeyou?

  Maggiestaysamused.

  MAGGIE(td)

  Wheredyougetthisdone?

  (laughing)

  Youcreeps!Ishoulddisinviteyou!

  Andwhydidyousaysevehis

  isfour.

  PEGGY

  Uh,Maggie,youtoldustobachelorette

  jokes,sowedidnt...

  Maggielooksatthestrifaceofherfriends.

  MRS.PRESSMAN

  Holymoly.

  Peggylookslikesheisgoingtocrywithsympathyfie.

  Maggieisstartingtofeelunfortable.Shelooksdown,

  dubiously,atthepaper.

  MAGGIE

  Um,youknoouldbeagood

  momenttotellmethisisfake.

  (noresponse)

  Itwontbefunnyifyitout.

  Okay?

  (noresponse)

  Okay,well...Imean,Ifindout...

  Realneerssmear.Phoneypapers

  dont.

  Shepicksupthepaperandbrushesitagainstherapron,leaving

  anINKSMEAR!!

  Shenearlykneelsover.

  MAGGIE(td)

  (sitting)

  Bag.

  PeggyandMrs.Pressmaelyspringtoherside.They

  giveherabagtobreathein.

  MRS.PRESSMAN

  Bag.

  CUTTO:

  INT.MAGGIESWORKOUTROOM/GYM-NIGHT

  WeseeMaggiekickboxingiheradioison.She

  suddenlystops,yanksIkesarticleoffthewall,leavesher

  workoutareaaoherdesk.

  ANGLEONDESKAREA:

  Sheturnsofftheradioandbeginstotypeherletter.

  MAGGIE(V.O.)

  "DearEditor..."

  EXT.MANHATTAN-DAY-ESTABLISHINGSHOT

  AsMaggiesVOICE-OVERtioreadherletter,wetakein

  aManhattanbusyday.Itisbig,loud,andanonymous.

  MAGGIE(V.O.;td)

  "Greetingfromthesticks!Perhapsyou

  believethataruraleducationis

  focusedmainlyonhogcallingand

  traainteherthanreading.

  Whyelsewouldyouprintapieceof

  fiaboutmeandcallitfact?"

  TeCAMERAFINDSIke,stridingacrossabusystreet,dodging

  taxies.AWOMANsmackshimwithaneer.HepassesaWOMAN

  TRAFFICOFFICER,thenahotdogstand.Hegreetsandpassesa

  FALAFELVENDOR.THECAMERAPANStoaUSATodayTruck.

  MAGGIE(V.O.;td)

  "Isupprahamwastoobusy

  thinkingusslanderousstatementsabout

  howIdumpmenforkickstobotherwith

  somethingsillylikeaccura

  rep.Whichisuandable,

  becausewitha"maer"likemeon

  theloose,whohastimetocheckfacts?"

  EXT.USATODAYLOADINGDOCKS-TINUOUS

  HepassesregularGUYSwhocheerhim.

  MAGGIE(V.O.;td)

  "Still,weibalisticqueensget

  prettykywhehingsin

  printthathurtourfeelings,likethat

  wedeliberatelyabandonfiah

  maliceaforethought."

  INT.USATODAYLOADINGDOCKS-TINUOUS

  Heeheneerbuilding,goingtoElliesoffice.

  INT.USATODAYOFFICE-TINUOUS

  Hewalksthroughthecrowdedcityroom.Hisarrivalattractsa

  lotofattentionfromhisCO-WORKERS.Ikeseemsalittle

  surprised,buthespleased.

  MAGGIE(V.O.;td)

  "ThatswhyIwassurprisedtofindMr.

  Grahamseditorwasawoman.Callmea

  sealfool,butIsortofhoped

  wemaercouldsticktogether."

  Ikeworkshiswaydownthehalltotheeditorsoffice.CHUFFA

  Ikegreetsvariousworkers.Hestepsuptotheeditors

  secretary,ELAINE.Shedoesntsmile.

  IKE

  (toElaine)

  Illputinagoodwordforyou.

  ELAINE

  No,no,doionmyhere.

  IKE

  Why?

  Abuzz.

  ELAINE

  Yougoinnow.

  IkegoesintoElliesoffice.Elainepicksupherphone.

  CUTTO:

  INT.ELLIESOFFICE-TINUOUS

  ELLIEisthateditor.Stylishandsuccessfullooking,shes

  aboutIkesage.Elliesitsbehindabigdeskwithascowlon

  herprettyface.Hercasual-lookinghusband,Fisher,sits

  nonchalantlyonthearmofthecouch.IkeentersasElliereads

  Maggiesletter.

  ELLIE

  (readier)

  "Anyway,Imjustdroppingyoubigcity

  folkthislittleosaythatIhave

  thoughtofaritualsacrificethatwould

  satisfymycurrentappetite:Ike

  Grahamsnonaplatter.Yours

  truly,MaggieCarpenter.P.S.--I

  haveinclosedalistofthegross

  factualmisrepresentationsinyour

  article.Therearefifteen."

  IkesitsasEllieputstheletterdownandtakesoffherglasses.

  IKE

  (chucklesashesits)

  Fully.Ilikeher.Shehaswit.

  ELLIE

  Ileftfourmessages.Youdourn

  mycalls.

  IKE

  So?Iurnedyourcalls,even

  eremarried.Andwhats

  Fisherdoinghereanyway?

  Fishergetsandplacesaphotooftheabookshelfonhis

  waytotheothersideoftheroom.

  FISHER

  Ellieaskedmetoedowntooffer

  moralsupport.

  IKE

  SincewhendoesEllieneedmoralsupp--

  ELLIE

  --Itsforyou,Ike.

  IKE

  What?

  ELLIE

  Journalismlessonnumberone.Ifyou

  fabricateyourfacts,yougetfired.

  ElliepushesUSATodaylawyersletteracrossthedeskforhim

  toread.Ikepicksitupandskimstheletter.Hisfaceisas

  impassiveasstone.

  IKE

  Lessonwo.Neverworkforyour

  formerspouse.

  ELLIE

  Thatsnotnothingtodowithit.You

  cookedthisstoryupandyouknowit.

  IKE

  Ididntcookupastory.Ihada

  source.

  ELLIE

  Someonereliable,Imsure.Abooze-

  houndinabar?

  FISHER

  Invias.

  IKE

  Dontknuysinbars.Drunk

  guysinbarsaregood.Itmeans

  theyrenotdriving.

  IkegetsupandstandsnearEllie,makinghispoint.

  IKE(td)

  Besides,Imanist.Thisiswhat

  nistsaresupposedtodo.Thisis

  whatyoulike.Wepush,westretch,we

  gooutonalimo.Thatswhatmakesme

  good!

  ELLIE

  No,thatswhatmakesyouunemployed.

  IKE

  Imerelywritethestuff.Yourethe

  oservesitup.

  Ikeputsdowerandputshisglassesbatohis

  pocket.

  ELLIE

  Notanymore.Ihavetodrawtheline.

  (pushingapiece

  ofpaper)

  Shesentusthislist.Ourlawyerssay

  itsaable.

  ElliehandsIkeMaggieslist.

  IKE

  (scoffs)

  Lawyers.

  (glalist)

  Idontknow,Ellie--Firingmeis

  goingtobeverytoughonyou.Its

  goingtobehardtogetover.There

  willbetherapybillsforyou.

  ELLIE

  (shrugs)

  Ialreadymadeanappoiforlater

  today.

  IKE

  (putti

  down,standing)

  See?Youwantcustodyofmyjob?...

  Whynotjustsidermywristslapped

  andcallmewhenyoufeelIveserved

  mytime?

  ELLIE

  Imsorry,Ike.Thisisperma.

  Fisherwindlooksaway.IkeandEllielookateachother

  forasobermoment.

  ELLIE(V.O.;td)

  Ifyougoquietly,Illgetyou

  severancepay.

  Elliefidgetswithhertoyrake,thenIkeheadsforthedoor.

  Helaughsalittleatthepainfultruthofherwordsandwalks

  out.Elliecollapsesbaherchair.Fishergoestoherand

  rubshershoulders.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

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