CUT
TO:
MINI
STATEMENT
OUT
£20 £17.39
IN
£14000 £1417.39
TOM
(V/O)
It
was more relief than excitement at first. Then I had to figure out
how to make this last- it was the only pay cheque I’d be getting
for the foreseeable future. That's kinda daunting when you've been
getting weekly amounts from an agency. After the last one I didn't
have an actual job yet. Or so I thought.
CUT
TO:
INT.
TOM’S BEDROOM- MORNING.
Tom’s
mobile is ringing… and ringing. His ring tone is Explosive, by Dr.
Dre. Tom’s fast asleep. You can guess he had a late one: club
flyers are scattered over the duvet and floor, as are his new shirt
and jeans. The barcoded labels are still in the mess on the floor.
Tom awakes, confused. His bank receipt reminds him of what he did
yesterday at the fair. He knows this call is from Devant.
PHONE-
NUMBER WITHHELD
He
JUMPS out of bed and shakes off to wake up. Takes a deep breath.
Picks up the phone.
TOM
Hello?
DEVANT
Mr.
Aaronson! Good morning!
TOM
Mr.
Devant?
DEVANT
That’s
right. Mr Aaronson: I need you to liaise with some future associates
in Manchester. They are employees of Bar Code. Are you familiar with
the venue?
FLASH
MONTAGE
Newspaper
headlines:
'Bar
in Cocaine Scandal'
'Security
Investigated Again'
The
accompanying photographs show hands pushed into cameras, people being
roughly thrown out onto the street, blood all over the doorstep.
TOM
Bar
Code, yeah. Jesus, yeah, I’ve heard of it. I know where it is; I’ve
never managed to get in.
DEVANT
I’m
sure you’ll have no problems on the door from now on. And don’t
worry, you won’t be doing bar work. You’ve got enough of that on
your CV. The gentlemen in question live in the Royal Apartments on
the edge of Manchester Centre. Would you be happy to share
accommodation with them?
TOM
(expecting a hefty rent bill)
How
much is that?
DEVANT
The
accommodation would be free of charge.
TOM
I
can afford that, yeah!
EXT.
BAR CODE- DAY
Tom
steps in, wearing a new and well-cut black suit. He catches his
reflection in the glass door and smiles.
INT. BAR
CODE- DAY
A few
well-dressed people in their early 30’s are lunching while escaping
the summer heat. The bar is well designed, smart, with a piano
cordoned off for use at night.
CALLUM,
A sixteen-year-old boy in a wool jumper and pumps- obviously dressed
by his mum- is talking to the BARTENDER. A beautiful woman is
propping up the bar, watching the whole conversation. Her eyes are
locked on the bartender.
CALLUM
He
said you’ve got an oversized ego. He said the work you do is fine-
BARTENDER
Shh.
Tom
picks up a business card left on the bar top- “Yanyan Leung”.
CALLUM
-And
if you stop making DVDs he said it would be a problem but not a big
problem.
Bartender
rolls his eyes in embarrassment.
BARTENDER
You’re
only sixteen, you little gimp. You shouldn’t even be in here.
CALLUM
But
if you carry on talking about it Devant will-
BARTENDER
He’ll
what.
Tom
looks up, recognising the name. Bartender discreetly nods to someone
out of frame.
CALLUM
If
you carry on you’re dead.
BAM!
A DOORMAN runs right into Callum like a freight train, taking him out
of frame.
Tom
props up the bar. A long-haired Welsh barman comes over.
WELSHMAN
/ TONY
What
can I get you mate?
TOM
Are
you Dave?
WELSHMAN
/ TONY
No,
I’m Tony. He’s Dave.
TONY
points to the barman who had been speaking to Callum. DAVE, 23, well
built and handsome, flairs a cocktail for another beautiful woman. He
doesn’t take his eyes off the drink.
DAVE
I’m
Dave, hold on…
Dave
slams some money into the till and looks up.
TOM
I’m
Tom, I was asked to come here by Mr. D-
DAVE
(Cutting Tom off)
Oh
you’re Tom. Good to meet you.
Tom
and Dave shake hands.
DAVE
We’re
clocking off in a bit; we’ll sort you out. Been working since
midnight.
TOM
Thought
you shut at two.
DAVE
Here,
we do.
A
MANAGER in a suit walks over.
MANAGER
Guys,
there’s people waiting to be served-
DAVE
(Interrupting)
Yeah,
fuck off.
Manager
apparently thinks this is a joke. He smiles and walks off. Dave gives
him a dirty look.
Tom
looks stunned. He points over shoulder.
TOM
You
can get away with that?
DAVE
We
get away with all sorts. Yeah, we’ve been waiting for you to come
in. We’ve got a present for you.
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