Devil in a Blue Dress Page #3

JOPPY:

I didn't say that... But if there's

a dollar laying in the street I

don't think he'll let a little dirt

stop him from picking it up. If

you worried about making that house

note this month, maybe you wanna

pay him a call. All them pretty

girls you be with ain't gonna buy

you a house.

7.

4 CONTINUED:
(4) 4

Easy c*cks his head "Are you crazy?"

JOPPY:

(continuing)

Sound like he just wants you to

keep your eyes open for somebody...

He'll pay you whether you see

anything or not... If it was me I'd

take that man's money and go on

about my bidness... Ain't nothin'

to worry about.

Easy is still suspicious, but can't take his eyes off the

card.

EASY (V.O.)

When somebody tells me "Don't

worry," I usually look down to see

if my fly is open... I noticed

Albright didn't bother to pay for

his drink.

5 EXT. EASY'S '46 PONTIAC - DAY 5

Little single family houses with tiny yards of St. Augustine

grass rush toward the amber Indianhead hood ornament on

Easy's car.

6 INT. EASY'S CAR 6

Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo" plays on the radio as Easy

heads for home in thought.

EASY (V.O.)

(continuing)

DeWitt Albright reminded me of

somebody I knew back in Houston.

His name was Raymond Alexander but

we called him Mouse... Mouse called

hisself a businessman too. And I

found out that I shouldn't be

nowhere around when Mouse got down

to his business... I learned that

the hard way.

A neighbor sweeps out her front porch and waves at Easy as

he slows down in front of his house.

7 EXT. EASY'S HOUSE - DAY 7

He gets out of his car and a group of children chasing a man

giving goat cart rides, washes past him in the street.

8.

7 CONTINUED:
7

A MAN with an unruly head of hair and full beard pushing a

wheelbarrow with a double edged axe wheels up behind Easy as

he opens his gate.

WOODCUTTER:

Want me to knock down some of them

trees back there for you?

EASY:

(irritated)

No... Just leave the trees alone.

Easy continues up his walkway past flower beds of dahlias

and wild roses and stops on his front porch to check on his

African violets in a jar next to the front door.

8 INT. EASY'S HOUSE 8

He walks into his tiny living room and tosses his jacket

onto the sofa. Then moves on through the kitchen and out

the back door.

9 EXT. EASY'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - DAY 9

He picks up a water hose and turns on the faucet, watering

and admiring his apple, avocado, pomegranate and banana

trees as he lights a cigarette.

EASY (V.O.)

I had moved to Los Angeles right

after the war with three hundred

dollars and the G.I. Bill... And I

liked coming home to a place that

was mine... According to President

Truman I had that comin' to me

'cause I had fought in 'the good

war' against Hitler in Europe...

But that didn't mean a damn thing

to a lotta white folks including

the foreman on my job... So, here I

was out of work needin' thirty-two

dollars to pay the mortgage... That

was three days pay on my old job --

and I had about three days to get

it.

10 EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - NIGHT 10

Easy parks in front of a large Spanish-style building.

gets out and walks to the black wrought iron entrance.

He

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