Sample scene from LUCKY by Stephen Schlich


INT - JAIL CELL - DAY

CLANG! A cell door slams shut behind two men, FRED SHAPIRO
and a DR. NEIL NIEHOUSE, both in conservative suits.
Niehouse jumps at the sound and turns to the jailer outside
the cell.

_____________NIEHOUSE
Don't lock it, okay?

_____________JAILER
Couldn't if I wanted to. It's broke.

Both men take this in, then face the cell's occupant:

Lucy sits on the cell bed. Still in her street clothes.
Disgusted. Dejected.

_____________SHAPIRO
Miss Irish, I'm the Public Defender.

_____________NIEHOUSE
And I'm the County Psychiatrist.

_____________LUCY
Are you going to put me away?

_____________SHAPIRO
Don't say a word to this man.

Niehouse scowls and takes out a notebook and a pencil. He
sits on the toilet in the center of the cell.

_____________NIEHOUSE
What makes you think you're crazy?

_____________LUCY
I'm not. Just dangerous. That's why
I'm here.

Niehouse's pencil lead breaks. He fumbles a ball-point pen
out of his pocket.

_____________NIEHOUSE
And why is that?

_____________LUCY
What did Mavis say? I'm a walking
streak of bad luck.

_____________SHAPIRO
Nonsense!

The ball point won't work. Niehouse shakes it tries again.
Nothing.

_____________NIEHOUSE
Good God. I'll have to use my recorder.

He pulls a mini tape recorder from his pocket. Shapiro
seizes his hand.

_____________SHAPIRO
You can't use that! I won't allow it.

_____________LUCY
It'll break, anyway.

Niehouse tries the recorder and sure enough, it won't work.
He shakes his head in disgust. But fear has crept into his
eyes.

_____________SHAPIRO
Jailer, can I get a cup of coffee?

_____________JAILER
Machine's broke, too. Ask her to
make you one.

Niehouse stands, backs away from Lucy. He bumps into the
cell door. It won't open. He pushes harder. Shapiro
joins him. The door doesn't give.

_____________NIEHOUSE
Hey!

The jailer tries the door from the other side. No luck.

_____________JAILER
I'll be damned.

Shapiro's upset, but Niehouse descends into sheer panic.

_____________NIEHOUSE
Let me out! I'm locked in. Oh please
God, let me out!

Shapiro looks him over with new eyes.

_____________SHAPIRO
You're the one who needs a straight
jacket.

Banging on the frozen cell door, Niehouse mouths gibberish.

Lucy sighs, walks to the door and pushes it gently. It
swings open and Niehouse is out of there like a shot.

Shapiro is afraid, but stays. He whispers conspiratorially.

_____________SHAPIRO
I can spring you from here --

Lucy looks at him hopefully.

_____________SHAPIRO (Cont'd)
-- if you'll buy me a lottery ticket.

Anger washes over her. She moves in on Shapiro slowly,
steadily, who keeps backing until he's out of the cell.

_____________LUCY
Get out!

He turns tail and runs.


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