Petulia Page #3

3 EXT. BUS TERMINAL

All we see is the wheel of a car resting on the back of a small boy, pinning him to the ground and people shocked, not knowing what to do.

ARCHIE'S

VOICE:
Well, stay then.

4 PETULIA'S IMAGE ENDS AND WE ARE BACK IN THE GRAND BALLROOM

PETULIA:
Archie, why do you play this dumb game? This crappy pretense at resisting the beautiful lady? You're bloody lucky I'm even talking to you. How many kids do you have besides fat Mike?

ARCHIE:
Actually, only one besides Mike.

PETULIA:
Meet you outside.

5 EXT. DREAM MOTEL–NIGHT

A motel sign:
"Dream Motel." A concrete oval, spiralling up four floors. You drive to your room and everything is geared to get you to bed electronically. But you must have a car, and Petulia and Archie have come by cab. Archie is paying the cabbie.

PETULIA:
(to cabbie) You mustn't take it personal. (she Indicates the "No Cabs" sign) Lucky we don't have luggage.

ARCHIE:
Does this trouble you?

PETULIA:
A little.

ARCHIE:
I suggested my place.

PETULIA:
I'd always imagined a tourist cabin, with paper thin walls, the sounds of a man from Tennessee in the cabin next door, sobbing endlessly, "Maude, Maude, Maude!"

Archie sees a car moving through the processes of registration. Grabbing Petulia's hand, he starts to what is presumably the entrance—at least it is the bottom of the ramp. They arrive at the booth and Archie steps on the place marked ‘Stand Here.' A T.V. screen lights up.

MAN ON TV:
Evenin'. Where's your auto?

Archie nods for Petulia to see the T.V. camera which is scanning them.

PETULIA:
Lost in a hailstorm this side of Pocatello, Idaho. Those hailstones really came down, didn't they, Zeke?

MAN ON TV:
No auto?

ARCHIE:
No auto.

MAN ON TV:
It's a problem.

ARCHIE:
Only if we make it one.

PETULIA:
Do you have any slides or swings for children?

MAN ON TV:
No, ma'am. You got kids?

PETULIA:
No, no. I was told to be suspicious of motels which cater to the family trade.

MAN ON TV:
This isn't that sort of place. No auto. Well ...

There is a small sound and a gadget reaches out which normally would fasten to the side of the car, On it is an electronic register, an electronic pen and a key with a great metal tag (as an example of how this might be designed, I recommend visiting a drive-in bank in Los Angeles). As Archie registers, and puts the ten dollar bill where it belongs, Petulia looks at the T.V. set.

PETULIA:
You've got a very nice T.V. face.

MAN ON TV:
Thank you, ma'am.

PETULIA:
You have to use pancake make-up things like that?

MAN ON TV:
(a slight giggle) No, just be natural.

Archie has finished registering and takes the keys.

MAN ON TV:
We've got an elevator but it's just for going out for the paper and the like. I mean when you don't want to take the car. You'll have to use the ramp because of the key. It lets you know when you get to your room.

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