…following
on from # 1 JINXED
73 EXT. OUTBACK ROAD. CLOSE TO
SUNSET
JOSIE,
clutches the cage with the Prentie in it, balances precariously on the platform
where it was resting earlier, facing NOTCH, her legs dangling. She is wearing
her small backpack and has Venus' black carry bag slung around her neck.
Josie's red suitcase is strapped on NOTCH’S back. JOSIE is terrified of the
Prentie - staring at her.
NOTCH
You
got a name, mate?
JOSIE
No,
mate, m'mum forgot to give me one!
NOTCH
That
was careless of her!
JOSIE
Course
I've got a bloody name! Josie Higgenbottom.
NOTCH
bursts out laughing.
JOSIE
What's
so funny?
NOTCH
Nothing,
mate.
JOSIE
Do
you have to keep calling me 'mate'?
NOTCH
Don't
have to, mate, no.
JOSIE
grimaces. Her thighs are aching.
JOSIE
Oooh,
my thighs!
NOTCH
indicates her dangling legs; his lap.
NOTCH
You
can rest 'em here if you like.
JOSIE
No
way, mate!
NOTCH (shrugs)
No
worries, mate?
LATER
JOSIE
has her legs resting on NOTCH'S thighs as he cycles.
JOSIE
You
got a name, mate?
NOTCH
Notch,
mate.
Mendelssohn's
Wedding March emanates from the black carry bag. JOSIE ignores it.
JOSIE
Notch
is not a name. It's something cowboys have on their belt.
NOTCH
Ya
phone's ringing.
JOSIE
It's
not my phone.
NOTCH
Whatever
you say, mate.
Mendelssohn's
Wedding March stops.
NOTCH
So,
all them fancy clothes of yours…
JOSIE
I'm
a fashion designer.
NOTCH
Would
you be offended if I told ya you had weird taste in clothes?
JOSIE
Yes.
NOTCH
You've
got weird taste in clothes, mate.
JOSIE
You
looked at yourself in the mirror lately.
NOTCH
Was
just about to ask you the same thing, mate.
He
gestures to the sticky wet patches on JOSIE'S t-shirt. She becomes
self-conscious, folds her arms protectively to cover her breasts. NOTCH leans
forward a little, sniffs.
NOTCH
Smells
like maple syrup.
JOSIE
Don’t
be ridiculous.
Mendelssohn's
Wedding March starts again.
JOSIE
It's
not for me.
NOTCH
Maybe
it's for me.
JOSIE
Yeah,
mate, it's bound to be for you!
NOTCH
takes one hand off the handle bars, reaches into Venus' black bag with his free
hand, pulls out Venus’ pink mobile; looks at it with raised eyebrows.
NOTCH
Get
lonely at night, do you Josephine?
NOTCH
presses the appropriate key and speaks in a 'plummy' English accent.
NOTCH
Josie
Higgenbottom's residence. Miss Higgenbottom's chauffeur speaking.
NOTCH
listens, nods, listens some more, nods.
NOTCH
Hang
on a sec whilst I consult with her Ladyship.
NOTCH
rests the mobile face-down on JOSIE'S thigh; covering the mouthpiece.
NOTCH
Some
bloke by the name of Terence says he's got five grand in crisp new $100 bills
for some shiela called Venus.
JOSIE
grabs the mobile from NOTCH, puts it to her ear.
JOSIE
Venus
speaking…Hello…hello…
The
line goes dead.
NOTCH
Though
you said it wasn't your phone!
JOSIE
$100
bills?
NOTCH
Yeah,
for Venus; not Josephine!?
JOSIE
If
you must know Mr. Notch, I was born Venus but I hated the name so much I
changed it to Josie and then my mother married my step-dad - Bruce
Higgenbottom...and...and... and Terence is my uncle.
NOTCH
The
bloke who's lined up a snake for you?
JOSIE
Snake!
NOTCH
Snake. Said he's lined it up.
JOSIE
It's
a kind of thank-you present… because… because he knows how much I love
snakes.
NOTCH
A
bit of a herpetologist are you, Venus?
JOSIE
hasn't a clue what a herpetologist is.
JOSIE
Yes.
74 EXT. NOTCH’S HOUSE. CLOSE TO
SUNSET
NOTCH,
with JOSIE balanced in front of him, her legs resting on his thighs, rides into
the cluttered yard of his open-plan ramshackle dwelling.
Notch's
house is made from second hand timber and corrugated iron; the furniture from
bizarre twisted tree trunks. There are no walls. Geological and indigenous
flora specimens speak of Notch's love for the bush.
NOTCH,
carrying his panniers and JOSIE, with her red suitcase, walk under a tree which
has a bush shower hanging from a branch.
NOTCH
If
ya need a shower, Venus.
NOTCH
indicates the bush shower - a bladder filled with water above the nozzle.
NOTCH
Should
be plenty of warm water if ya need to...you know...
NOTCH
indicates the wet sticky patches over each of JOSIE’S breasts. JOSIE turns
bright red again. NOTCH grins, leans close to JOSIE, sniffs.
JOSIE
OK,
It is maple syrup! I was... having some pancakes and, you know...and spilt
the...
NOTCH (laughs)
Course
ya did, mate!
JOSIE
is mortified. Closeby there is an old Army Troop Carrier that has been
partially restored. Along the side is stenciled FERAL TOURS.
75 INT. NOTCH’S HOUSE. CLOSE TO
SUNSET
As
JOSIE and NOTCH walk 'into' the house, they pass glass cases with snakes and
lizards in them.
NOTCH
Make
a bit of a living selling geological and zoological specimens to museums,
universities and so on.
JOSIE
manages to keep her fear and distaste of snakes and other reptiles secret from NOTCH.
76 EXT. NOTCH’S HOUSE. SUNSET
JOSIE,
a towel wrapped around her, hangs a sarong from the tree in an attempt to
provide her with some privacy as she showers. It becomes apparent that she has
dyed her underarm hair pink. She calls out to NOTCH, twenty of so feet away
‘inside’ his house, unpacking his panniers.
JOSIE
Don't
look.
JOSIE
turns on the shower, drops her towel.
NOTCH
You
got some bits and pieces ya reckon I haven't seen before, Venus?
JOSIE
looks down, smiles. The phone inside Venus' shoulder bag begins to ring.
JOSIE (shouts)
Don't
answer it!
NOTCH
takes the pink mobile from Venus’ bag, answers it.
NOTCH
Hello.
Venus Aphrodite’s personal assistant...
JOSIE
flails her arms in a frantic attempt to stop him, dislodging the sarong,
leaving her nakedness exposed to NOTCH, who averts his eyes as he listens on
the phone.
JOSIE
clutches the sarong to her, runs 'inside'.
NOTCH
Hang
on a sec, Terence. I'll put Venus on.
JOSIE
takes the phone, clutching the sarong to her modestly. JOSIE speaks with a
broad Australian accent.
JOSIE
G'day
Terence. Last bit I got was about five grand in crisp new notes?
NOTCH
and JOSIE’S eyes meet. NOTCH smiles, shakes his head. JOSIE blushes, turns
away, her bare back and bottom facing NOTCH.
TERENCE'S VOICE
You
got it, sweetheart! How soon can you get to Sydney?
JOSIE
Sydney!
That's...more than 3,000 kilometers!
NOTCH
takes the yellow disposable camera from his pocket.
Close
on Josie’s face.
TERENCE'S VOICE
A
few days? Friday?
JOSIE
bites her lip, unsure what decision to make. In the background NOTCH can be
seen lifting the camera to his eye.
A
‘thought bubble’ appears alongside JOSIE’S
head. In it is VENUS - speaking to her:
VENUS
If
you want something bad enough you do whatever it takes, babe.
NOTCH’S
point of view as he takes a photo (‘Click’) of:
Josie's
naked back and bottom. FREEZE FRAME.
The
shot ‘unfreezes’.
JOSIE
See
ya Friday, Terence.
77 INT. ‘FETISHES’
TERENCE
speaks on his mobile.
TERENCE
Look
forward to it, Venus.
He
hangs up, turns to:
A
man in a RENT A PET t-shirt standing by two cages with pythons in them - one
big and one small(ish).
TERENCE
The
big one, I think. Yeah, the big one.
78 EXT. DESERT PALMS MOTEL
Venus’
yellow sedan pulls up outside ‘Reception’.
79 INT. DESERT PALMS MOTEL -
RECEPTION. SUNSET
The
owners, MADGE and REG (they're wearing name tags) book VENUS in. REG writes
“Venus Aphrodite” into his register.
MADGE
That'll
be $15 and I'll need some ID, Miss Aphrodite. Driver's license?
VENUS
reaches into 'her' black carry bag, lifts out Josie’s small pink teddy bear.
She
looks at the teddy with mounting shock, reaches into the bag again and extracts
from it a bottle of maple syrup.
MADGE
and REG exchange looks again.
VENUS
has turned pale and her hands shake badly. The sound of “I just called to say I
love you” emanates from the bag.
VENUS
takes out Josie’s blue mobile, presses the ‘answer’ icon. Josephine’s loud
theatrical voice fills the room:
JOSEPHINE SENIOR’S VOICE
Josephine,
darling? It’s your mother! You’ve got some explaining to do, young lady!
MADGE
and REG exchange looks again.
MADGE
ID,
Miss Aphrodite?
80 INT. NOTCH’S HOUSE. NIGHT
NOTCH
sits, eyes closed, at a cluttered table, beer in hand.
JOSIE (voice off)
OK,
you can open your eyes.
JOSIE
is standing closeby dressed in a very colourful and imaginatively designed
outfit.
NOTCH
Wow!
(A BEAT) You made that?
JOSIE
smiles, nods; excited.
JOSIE
Want
to see another one?
NOTCH
laughs, nods.
A
LITTLE LATER
In
a brief montage JOSIE dresses up in four or five of her outfits - each one an
inspired piece of clothing design. One of them has lots of feathers stitched
into it.
81 INT. DESERT PALMS MOTEL -
RECEPTION. SUNSET
VENUS
holds Josie’s passport photo (Josie’s hair is pink) alongside her own face.
VENUS
I
married an Englishman by the name of Cedric Higgenbottom, you see, and because
he’s a Lord...Lord Cedric Higgenbottom...and related to royalty, he didn’t
think it appropriate...
MADGE
Royalty!
So you are Lady Higgenbottom?
VENUS
Yes,
and because Cedric didn’t think pink was and appropriate colour or Venus an
appropriate name for a member of the royal family I started to use my middle
name - Josie. And then I got a new passport and...well, Lord Higgenbottom will
be here first thing in the morning and...
MADGE (smiles)
Say
no more, Lady Higgenbottom. Welcome to our humble motel.
82 INT. MOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
CLOSE
ON a glossy fashion magazine double page spread of models in outlandish
designer clothes. The headline reads:
ABORIGINAL
FASHION DESIGNER TAKES PARIS BY STORM
Prominent
is a photo of a young Aboriginal man dressed in outlandish colourful clothes,
identified as Amaroo Yunipingu.
The
byline reads: “The world of haute couture now has a new name to contend with as
Amaroo Yunipingu’s releases his latest designs...”
VENUS
reads a little, shakes her head, takes a blue mobile phone out of Josie’s black
carry bag.
83 INT. NOTCH’S HOUSE. NIGHT
JOSIE
sits at the table, accepts the bottle of beer held out for her by NOTCH.
NOTCH
I’m
not big on fashion, but...
JOSIE
Would
never have guessed that...
NOTCH
...I
reckon ya clobber’s pretty bloody good - except for that feathery thing.
JOSIE
Oh,
that’s my favourite.
NOTCH
Bit
over the top, I reckon.
JOSIE
Oh.
NOTCH
Just
being honest, Venus.
84 INT. HOTEL. NIGHT
OLIVER
sips a glass of water, his eyes on a packet of cigarettes as he listens to
Notch and Josie talk.
JOSIE (voice off)
Do
you think its...I mean, that you have to tell the truth all the time.
He
picks the packet up, looks at it, puts it down, picks it up again, takes out a
cigarette, puts it in his mouth.
NOTCH (voice off)
Got
no time for lies, Venus. Or liars.
He
draws on it (unlit) then suddenly crumples it up in his hands, takes the half
empty packet and walks into the en suite bathroom.
JOSIE (voice off)
Oh.
But...if you told me....like now...
85 INT. NOTCH’S HOUSE. NIGHT
JOSIE
and NOTCH sit together at the table.
JOSIE
...that
you were not really who I think you are...I mean...
NOTCH
Yeah...?
The
sound of Mendellsohn’s Wedding March. JOSIE leaps to her feet, rushes to the
‘kitchen’ picks up the phone.
86 INT. MOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
VENUS,
her hands shaking badly, speaks into Josie’s blue mobile phone.
VENUS
I
want my bag back. Where are you?
87 INT. NOTCH’S HOUSE. NIGHT
JOSIE
speaks animatedly on the phone.
JOSIE
Mum!
Hi, yes I’m fine. Hey, can’t talk now, I’m right in the middle of something.
Can I call you back. Love you.
JOSIE
hangs up, rejoins NOTCH
JOSIE
My
mum.
88 INT. HOTEL. NIGHT
OLIVER
walks from the en suite bathroom back into the main room. The sound of the
toilet flushing can be heard.
NOTCH (voice off)
So,
who do ya reckon I think I am...
OLIVER
picks up a “BOOK OF MORMON EXPLAINED”, opens it.
NOTCH (voice off)
...that
might be different...
89 INT. NOTCH’S HOUSE. NIGHT
NOTCH
...from
who you reckon I am?
JOSIE
laughs, waves the question away.
NOTCH
More
to the point, who do ya reckon you are, Venus?
JOSIE
Maybe
not who you think I am.
NOTCH
And
who do ya think I think you are?
JOSIE
Um...
NOTCH (smiles)
Apart
from being someone that needs $5,000 so she can stay in Australia and study
with this Aboriginal fashion designer bloke?
JOSIE
Well,
you see, my tourist visa runs out at the end of the week and to study with
Amaroo I have to get a student visa and to get a student visa I need to be able
to prove that I have $5,000 - which I don’t have. I mean, I did until
yesterday, but now I don’t and...
NOTCH
What
happened to your five grand?
JOSIE
laughs, waves the question away.
NOTCH
Wish
I had five grand to lend ya...
JOSIE
You'd
do that!?
NOTCH (nods)
Course,
Venus, if I had the dough.
JOSIE
You’...trust
me...!?
NOTCH
Yeah,
I reckon you’re an honest kind of person.
NOTCH
looks directly into her eyes, nods. JOSIE blushes, covers her embarrassment by
opening a photo album on the table, flicking through it.
NOTCH
Do
a bit of work as a tour guide from time to time to make ends meet…
JOSIE
looks at a photo album at a photo of:
NOTCH -
dressed in a neatly ironed khaki uniform, his hair tied back - standing in front of a large OUTBACK
ADVENTURE TOURS bus with young backpackers.
JOSIE
nods, smiles at NOTCH, flips through the album:
Young
backpackers at water falls, standing by huge ant's nests, sitting around camp
fires, etc; mostly young women.
JOSIE
You
get mostly women on the tours?
NOTCH
looks a little embarrassed. JOSIE picks up a loose photo of a pretty young
blonde in a bikini. She turns it over. A look of panic crosses NOTCH'S face as
JOSIE reads:
JOSIE
“To
a bronzed Aussie hunk from a hot German frauline, beast wishes, Helga.” Beast
wishes!?
NOTCH
I
reckon she mighta meant 'best wishes'.
JOSIE
laughs.
90 INT. DESERT PALMS MOTEL. NIGHT
VENUS,
dejected, sits on the edge of the bed - the contents of Josie’s black bag laid
out on the bed.
Along
with the pink teddy bear and bottle of Maple Syrup there are a few Mills and
Boone-type romance novels. She picks up one entitled TRUE LOVE, looks at the
cover:
A colour
illustration of an very handsome young man looking deeply into the eyes of the
very beautiful young woman in his arms.
VENUS
flips the book over, reads the back cover for a moment before throwing it
across the room in anger.
91 INT/EXT. NOTCH’S HOUSE. NIGHT
JOSIE
lies in a bed ‘inside’ Notch’s house. NOTCH lies in his swag outside, 20 or so
feet away, looking up at the stars.
JOSIE
You
know that saying ,”The truth shall set you free.”?
NOTCH
Uh
huh. Yeah, I reckon its true!
JOSIE
Well,
there’s something...
JOSIE
is just about to confess but NOTCH cuts her off.
NOTCH
You
got something you want to get off your chest? Other than the maple syrup that
is.
JOSIE
laughs.
NOTCH
Would
you be offended if I asked how that came about?
JOSIE
Yes
NOTCH
How’d
you manage to get maple syrup on ya chest like that?
JOSIE (laughs)
Night
Notch.
NOTCH
Don’t
let the bed bugs bite, Venus.
92 INT. DESERT PALMS MOTEL. NIGHT
VENUS
uses Photoshop to touch up the photo of the now naked Tom Cruise (fear not,
dear Reader, this is a PG movie) smiling lovingly at the camera.
VENUS,
not happy, casts her eyes on the book (’TRUE LOVE’) lying on the floor.
93 INT. NOTCH’S HOUSE. NIGHT
CLOSE
ON JOSIE lying in bed in the dark, remembering.
JOSIE
Notch?
You asleep?
NOTCH
lies outside in his swag looking up at the stars.
NOTCH
Yep,
sound...
JOSIE
Do
you believe in fate? Destiny? Like…there are no accidents. Everything happens
for a reason.
NOTCH
Nah,
I reckon we just come up with the reasons after the accidents have happened…
JOSIE,
looking up into the rafters, freezes in fear.
JOSIE
Flipping
hell! There's something moving in the roof.
NOTCH
That'll
be Basil.
JOSIE
Basil?
NOTCH
M'pet
python.
JOSIE
PYTHON!
JOSIE,
her eyes wide in terror, stares up into the rafters.
NOTCH
If
he decides to join you in bed don't worry. You're too big to swallow whole.
As
the python falls with a heavy plop onto her bed, JOSIE leaps from it and runs
screaming out of the house...
JOSIE
Ahhhhh!
...to
where NOTCH lies in his swag under the stars.
JOSIE
Holy
frigging Moley! Move over.
JOSIE
climbs into NOTCH'S swag.
NOTCH
Thought
ya liked snakes!
JOSIE
I...I
love snakes...but I don't want to share a bed with one.
NOTCH
Reckon
it'll be less dangerous sharing a bed with me?
JOSIE
You
won't…you know…do anything, will you!?
An
animal screeches in the darkness. JOSIE screams; throws herself into NOTCH'S
arms.
NOTCH
No,
mate, you're safe with me.
JOSIE
OK,
I admit it, I'm scared shitless of snakes, spiders, insects, bugs, creepy
crawlies…and I don't know what a herpe…whatever… is.
NOTCH
A
sexually transmitted disease, mate. You get it from sleeping with people you
don't know. Not to be confused with 'herpetologist', which is an expert in
snakes…
JOSIE
Oh!
JOSIE,
embarrassed, blushing eases herself away from NOTCH.
NOTCH
Sleep
tight, Venus.
JOSIE
'Night
Notch.
94 INT. DESERT PALMS MOTEL. NIGHT
VENUS
lies in bed reading ‘TRUE LOVE’.
VENUS (V.O.)
He
lifted her gently, cradling in his arms the most precious thing he had ever
handled, looked deep into her exotic green eyes and uttered the words she had
been longing to hear since they met at the orphanage when they were children.
“I will worship at the altar of your ruby red cupid bow lips and bubblegum
tongue for all eternity and a day. And...
VENUS,
hooked, turns the page.
95 INT. HOTEL. NIGHT
OLIVER,
an unlit cigarette hanging from his mouth, sits up in bed reading ‘THE BOOK OF
MORMOM EXPLAINED”.
OLIVER (V.O.)
“As
a good Mormom you must never put anything addictive into your body - especially
tobacco products such as cigarettes, snuff, chewing tobacco, cigars…”
96 EXT. DESERT PALMS MOTEL. NIGHT
VENUS,
her bags and satellite dish in hand, creeps from her yellow car to a purple
sedan, breaks into it, tries to hotwire start it. A loud whirring sound. No
luck!
A
light comes on in the Reception doorway. Two figures appear: REG (dressed in a
towel only) and MADGE (in a short bathrobe).
As
they run towards the green sedan. REG'S towel falls off.
VENUS
gets the car started as REG (naked) and MADGE throw themselves onto the bonnet.
VENUS
Get
off you stupid old farts!
REG
and MADGE crawl up to the windscreen as VENUS drives off.
REG (shouts)
Not
on your nelly!
VENUS
sees the motel swimming pool ahead and drives towards it, increasing speed. REG
and MADGE'S hang on for dear life, their bodies pressed up against the
windscreen.
VENUS (shouts)
I
warned you!
Close
to the low fence around the swimming pool VENUS hits the brakes. The car skids
to a halt. REG and MADGE become airborne and land in the pool with a big
splash.
97 EXT. NOTCH'S HOUSE. PRE-DAWN
JOSIE
wakes a little before dawn to find that she is snuggled close to NOTCH; one arm
draped over his chest. She looks at him affectionately for a long moment before
sliding quietly out of his swag.
98 INT. 'FERAL TOURS' VEHICLE.
DAY
JOSIE
sits in the passenger seat of 'Feral Tours' as it drives along the red dusty
road. She rummages in Venus' bag, looking for something.
NOTCH
Seeing
as how we've slept together and all, Venus, do you mind if I ask you a personal
question?
JOSIE
Fire
away, Notch.
NOTCH
About
that maple syrup. How you got it all over your...you know...
JOSIE
Well,
Brandon, the boyfriend…ex-boyfriend…wanted to surprise me and…you know…
NOTCH
Surprise
you!? With a bottle of maple syrup!
JOSIE
turns bright red, returns to her rummaging. NOTCH decides to pursue it no
further; watches her rummage.
NOTCH
Need
one of these, mate, when ya on the road.
He
pats the old worn cloth bum-bag around his waist.
NOTCH
Better
for people on the move than one of these.
He
indicates Venus' black bag, from which JOSIE extracts a pair of nail clippers.
NOTCH
Bag
like that's an open invitation to thieves.
As
she trims her nails JOSIE surveys the interior of the vehicle: old couches,
plants in pots hanging from the ceiling. The back fills with dust from the road
below.
JOSIE
Don't
think it might be a bit dusty for your average tourist?
99 INT/EXT OLIVER'S CAR. DAY
OLIVER
drives along deserted outback road, Notch's muffled words coming through his
recording device. On a map on his laptop computer screen, one flashing dot
follows another.
NOTCH (voice off)
Couldn't
give a rat's arse about your average tourist.
100 EXT. ROADHOUSE. DAY
JOSIE
and NOTCH (carrying Josie's red suitcase) walk from the FERAL TOURS vehicle
towards the Gas Station/Roadhouse.
NOTCH
Feral
Tours'll be real tours of the real Australia. Once I'm cashed up…
NOTCH
puts down JOSIE'S red suitcase. There is a moment's awkward silence between
them before NOTCH unclasps the cloth bum-bag he wears around his waist.
NOTCH
This
might come in handy in the big smoke, Venus.
NOTCH
puts his arms around JOSIE to adjust the straps of the bum-bag behind her back.
As he snaps the clasp tight behind JOSIE'S back their heads are very close.
NOTCH
Best
to keep it on you all the time. Lotta thieves in Sydney they tell me.
JOSIE
All
the time?
NOTCH
'Cept when ya take a shower. And in bed, I
suppose, long as you can trust who ya sharing ya bed with.
JOSIE
is completely thrown by the proximity of NOTCH'S head to her own. She becomes
self-conscious and steps back.
JOSIE
Thanks
for everything.
NOTCH
Ya
know where to find me.
NOTCH
smiles, signals 'goodbye' with an upraised finger, turns and walks off.
A
police car cruises past. The POLICEMAN waves to NOTCH. He returns the gesture.
101 INT. GREEN SEDAN. DAY
VENUS,
highly agitated, drives into the Roadhouse and pulls up beside a pump - her
eyes in the rear-vision mirror, in which can be seen Notch’s “Feral Tours”
vehicle pulled up alongside the police car.
102 INT. ROADHOUSE. DAY
As
JOSIE waits to be served she opens the bumbag around her waist and extracts a
$100 note. She smiles to herself.
103 INT/EXT 'FERAL TOURS' DAY
The
Roadhouse 100 metres behind him now, NOTCH has stopped to talk, through the
window, to CONSTABLE BERT in khaki shorts and shirt, standing beside his Police
car.
CONSTABLE
BERT hands NOTCH a clear plastic bag with a big head of marijuana in it. NOTCH
takes out a bud and sniffs it.
NOTCH
Wanna
come t’my place for a smoke?
CONSTABLE BERT
Nah,
gotta investigate last night’s drama at Desert Palms with Marge and Reg?
104 EXT. VENUS. PURPLE SEDAN.
ROADHOUSE. DAY
As
VENUS fills her tank with petrol, her eyes still on NOTCH and CONSTABLE BERT up
the road, she sees JOSIE emerge from the Roadhouse. She returns the nozzle to
the bowser and begins to stride purposefully towards her.
JOSIE
watches in terror as VENUS, mad as a hornet, gets closer and closer to her.
Suddenly a Police Car pulls up between JOSIE and VENUS.
VENUS
stops dead in her tracks. JOSIE breathes a sigh of relief as CONSTABLE BERT
gets out, walks up to her.
CONSTABLE BERT
Excuse
me miss. You don't happen to be Josie Higgenbottom by any chance?
JOSIE
thinks for a moment, cautious.
JOSIE
Has
Josie Higgenbottom done something wrong?
VENUS
slinks back to the stolen purple car in the background.
CONSTABLE BERT
Assault,
fraud, theft of a motor vehicle...
JOSIE
watches the purple sedan, with VENUS in it, drive off.
JOSIE
I'm
not her. I mean, she’s not me. I’m not Josie Higgenbottom.
CONSTABLE BERT
You
have some form of identification, Miss...?
JOSIE
Aphrodite.
Venus Aphrodite.
JOSIE
hands CONSTABLE BERT Venus' driving license - issued under the name VENUS
APHRODITE.
JOSIE
The
photo was taken before I cut my hair and dyed it.
CONSTABLE
BERT looks from the photo to JOSIE; unconvinced.
CONSTABLE BERT
Do
you mind, ‘Miss Aphrodite’ if I have a look in your bag.
JOSIE
stares at CONSTABLE BERT for a long moment. OLIVER, cleaning the windscreen of
his red car closeby, calls out:
OLIVER
Venus,
long time no see! My my!
JOSIE
turns to watch the approach of OLIVER. He smiles broadly. JOSIE hasn't got a
clue who he is.
OLIVER
I
didn't recognize you with your new hair! Pink! Hot damn! Pretty. Very pretty!
He
kisses JOSIE on the cheek, holds his hand out to CONSTABLE BERT.
OLIVER
Oliver
Symes, pleased to meet you, sir. Venus here is an old old friend of the family
but we haven’t seen each other for...oh my God, much too long...
105 EXT. DESERT LANDSCAPE. DAY
Oliver's
red car drives through a vast desert landscape:
JOSIE (voice over)
Look,
Oliver, I appreciate you rescuing me but my name is not Venus. It's…
106 INT. OLIVER'S CAR. DAY
OLIVER
drives. JOSIE looks at OLIVER in bewilderment.
OLIVER
Not
the Venus Aphrodite with a pink mobile phone in the shape of… you know…a man's
private parts.
JOSIE
puts on Venus’ heart-shaped Lolita sunglasses.
JOSIE
I've
got no idea what you're talking about.
Venus'
phone begins to ring inside the bum bag Notch gave to Josie. She ignores it.
OLIVER looks from the bum-bag to JOSIE. He smiles. JOSIE gives up, unzips the
bum-bag and takes out the pink phallic phone, answers it.
VENUS' VOICE
I
know what you're up to and you won't get away with it.
JOSIE
I
don't know what you're talking about, Venus. Hang on, there's someone who’s
keen to talk to you.
JOSIE
hands the phone to OLIVER.
OLIVER
To
whom am I speaking?
VENUS' VOICE
Josie
Higgenbottom. Who's this? Put Venus on. Hello…
OLIVER
hands the mobile to JOSIE.
OLIVER
Josie
wants to speak with you.
107 INT. VENUS' GREEN STOLEN CAR.
DAY
VENUS,
agitated, angry, (withdrawal symptoms have really kicked in) drives fast on a
desert road, Josie's blue mobile phone to her ear.
VENUS
Hello!
Hello! Shit!
The
line's gone dead. The phone immediately rings again. She answers it
aggressively.
VENUS
What!
BRANDON'S VOICE
Babe,
I just wanted to tell you I do love you more than my motor bike.
VENUS
holds the phone away from her, looks at it; wonders if she just heard right!
108 EXT. GAS STATION. DAY
At
a gas station JOSIE walks from the 'Ladies' towards Oliver's car, alongside a
gas pump. She stops dead in her tracks when she sees:
OLIVER
inside his car, looking through her red suitcase. She watches, puzzled, as
OLIVER looks around to see if he is being observed, then continues searching
her suitcase.
JOSIE
watches as OLIVER, unable to find what he is looking for, scratches his head,
takes out his wallet and makes his way inside the gas station.
JOSIE
walks nervously up to Oliver's car.
109 INT. OLIVER'S CAR. DAY
Keeping
an eye on OLIVER, seen through the glass at the cash register, his back to her,
JOSIE opens Oliver's suitcase - on the back seat beside her own. There are
neatly folded trousers, shirts etc. Digging a little deeper she sees:
Partly
concealed by some pink material, a gun and photos of Venus taken outside the
Strip Club by Oliver wearing the Lolita sunglasses JOSIE is now wearing.
JOSIE
Holy
frigging Moley!
JOSIE
looks up. OLIVER is walking towards her. Terrified, she freezes. OLIVER changes
course, veers off to the 'Gents'.
110 EXT. GAS STATION. DAY
A
car towing a caravan pulls out from a pump. JOSIE races up; speaks urgently to
the elderly couple NEVILLE and DOROTHY.
JOSIE
Excuse
me, this is an emergency.
111 INT. DOROTHY AND NEVILLE'S
CAR. DAY
JOSIE
slides from view as NEVILLE pulls onto the road.
DOROTHY
What
kind of trouble are you in, dear?
JOSIE'S
eyes are on OLIVER, standing by his car, looking for her.
JOSIE
I
wish I knew!
DOROTHY
Whatever
it is, dear, if you just give yourself to Jesus Christ, He will take all your
troubles on His shoulders.
…to
be continued…
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