Phone Booth Page #3

MAVIS' VOICE

Don't go.

STU:

I wasn't saying goodbye to you. I

was saying how the clients try to

give you the wave off without even

a month's notice.

A conservative businessman now stands outside the booth

waiting to use it. He deliberately glances at his watch a

few times to demonstrate his impatience. This bothers Stu

who slides the booth open a crack.

STU:

(yelling)

What? Is your watch busted? It's

twenty after eleven and I'm gonna

be occupied indefinitely with my

transaction. So get out of my

face!

He closes the booth up again and turns his back to the

gentleman who gives up and departs.

STU:

Sorry, honey. There will be no

further interruption.

MAVIS' VOICE

Why must you always be calling me

from some booth?

STU:

On account of that phone records

are regularly subpoenaed in divorce

proceedings. And I don't want some

entry showing up on my cellular

bill either. She gets the mail.

She looks these items over.

Sometimes she even dials up a

strange number to see who it is.

MAVIS' VOICE

Then she suspects something.

STU:

It's only because her last husband,

the choreographer, ran around on

her. She can't get that out of her

head. That's how she caught onto

him. The phone bills.

MAVIS' VOICE

She hasn't developed much skill at

holding a man.

STU:

You know what a self-fulfilling

prophecy is? She was so sure I was

going to find me a woman that she

finally drove me back to you. I

thought I'd feel all guilty about

it -- but I guess it hasn't kicked

in yet.

(beat)

Still, I wouldn't do anything to

hurt her. Basically, Kelly's a

decent individual.

MAVIS' VOICE

What about hurting me? Like last

time?

STU:

Hurt? You were glad to be rid of

me.

MAVIS' VOICE

For a while I was, 'til I took

stock of what was around. You're

the lesser of many evils.

STU:

That's about the nicest thing you

ever said.

MAVIS' VOICE

I'll have it engraved.

STU:

We've been up front with each other

from the beginning. Let's keep it

that way. How about a drink? Say

seven o'clock? The Monkey Bar?

MAVIS' VOICE

Meet me in front. I don't like

walking in there unescorted.

STU:

Yeah, you're great enough looking

to be mistaken for one of those

thousand dollar a night girls.

MAVIS' VOICE

It happens all the time lately.

STU:

And wear that short black number I

bought you from Bendel's.

MAVIS' VOICE

Again? I don't know if it's me or

that dress you like.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes