Who Framed Roger Rabbit Page #4

DISSOLVE TO:

A BILLBOARD SIGN

It reads:
"L.A.'s Pacific and Electric Red Car -- America's

Finest Public Transportation System". PAN DOWN to see that

the sign is on the roof of the trolley terminal. Red Cars

are going in and out of the shed. MOVE IN on one car

approaching the terminal from down the street. As it passes

by...

VALIANT:

hops off his freeloader's seat on the back,

KID:

So long, mister.

Valiant waves laconically.

VALIANT:

Thanks for the cigarettes.

We FOLLOW Valiant as he crosses the street to a seedy

bungalow. A note is push-pinned to the door.

CLOSE - NOTE

It says:
"Tomorrow's Friday... Well? Dolores".

VALIANT:

takes the note and walks back across the street toward the

terminal. He climbs up a flight of stairs, heading for a bar

on the mezzanine. The bar sports a red neon sign that used

to blink, "The Terminal Station Bar". But now it just says,

"Terminal".

INT. TERMINAL BAR - DAY

The place must have been pretty swanky at the turn of the

century when it was built in the first burst of enthusiasm

over the new public transportation system. It's in the motif

of a trolley car. There's a large map on the wail above the

bar showing all the different lines. Behind the bar is

DOLORES. If you scraped off all the makeup, you'd find an

attractive woman in her late thirties. She ministers to a

rag-tag assortment of Hollywood low-lifes -- who are truly at

the end of the line.

VALIANT:

enters this den, lets his eyes adjust for a moment, then

bellies up to the bar. He finds a spot between a ONE-ARMED

BLACK SOLDIER and a MIDGET stretched out on the bar passed

out. Now a TROLLEY RUMBLES underneath them. The bar starts

to shake like an earthquake, the lights flicker. All the

drinkers, observing a time honored ritual, lift their glasses

simultaneously to avoid spilling any drops. Even the Midget

lifts his head until the trolley has passed. Valiant reaches

over the bar and blind-grabs a bottle of rye he obviously

knows is there. He pours himself a shot.

VALIANT:

Hey, fellas, what's the good word?

SOLDIER:

Lost my job.

An ARTHRITIC COWBOY pipes up.

COWBOY:

Mule died.

A DEAF-MUTE scribbles a note on a pad hanging around his

neck. He hands the note to Valiant. It says "My girl dumped

me". Valiant pats him on the back, consoling.

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