The Help Page #2

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AIBILEEN (V.O.) (CONT'D)

No babies...No man...And not

lookin'.

She wears flats, careful not to add more than a centimeter to

her towering height. Dressed well, Skeeter tugs on her

unfamiliar attire.

INT. MR. BLACKLY'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

The receptionist and Skeeter enter the office of MR. HAROLD

BLACKLY, 68. He has greased, grey hair and the face of a

mean man. Smoke pours into the room.

MR. BLACKLY

Shut the Goddamn door!

He snaps his fingers over a chair. Skeeter sits down.

MR. BLACKLY (CONT'D)

They announced last week

cigarettes'll kill you.

4.

Mr. Blackly pours a pack of nuts into his mouth.

MR. BLACKLY (CONT'D)

(CHEWING)

Okay, let's see what you got.

Skeeter quickly hands Mr. Blackly a resumé. He skims it

over, marking it violently with a red pen.

MR. BLACKLY (CONT'D)

"Murrah High Editor, Ole Miss Rebel

Rouser Editor, double major, Junior

League editor...Damn girl, didn't

you have any fun?

SKEETER:

Is that...important?

Mr. Blackly sighs, hands the resumé back to Skeeter.

MR. BLACKLY

You got any references?

Skeeter nods slowly. She takes a deep breath and pulls a

letter out of her satchel. She hands it to Mr. Blackly.

Mr. Blackly snatches the letter and reads it quickly,

mouthing the words as he does. He drops the letter on his

desk, and looks to Skeeter, flabbergasted.

MR. BLACKLY (CONT'D)

That...is a rejection letter.

Skeeter's face flushes hot and quick.

SKEETER:

Not exactly. Missus Stein-

MR. BLACKLY

-STEIN?! Missus who?

Skeeter points toward the letterhead.

SKEETER:

Elaine Stein, Senior Editor at

Harper and Row Publishing. In New

York. I'm going to be a serious

writer, Mr. Blackly. So, when I

applied to Harper and Row, Missus

STEIN WROTE-

MR. BLACKLY

-She told you "no."

SKEETER:

Until I gain some experience, Mr.

Blackly! See, it says it right

there at the end. "Great

potential...Gain some experience

and please apply again."

Mr. Blackly pours the rest of the peanuts in his mouth.

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