Here’s the first ten pages of “Who Framed Bobby Babbitt?”. I apologize it’s not in the correct format. I tried to insert a link to the PDF that’s on my computer but that didn’t work out. After I figure it out, I will update this site accordingly. To executives in the film industry, as noted on my home page, this script is registered at WGA West. If your firm requires a release form to be signed, please email to me at leeeide7@gmail.com. Thanks!
FADE IN:
INT. HENNEPIN COUNTY JAIL – LIBRARY/RESOURCE AREA – DAY
ROGER WENTWORTH — late 50’s, shaved bald head, graying face stubble, peaceful hazel eyes — sits in front of a computer in the prison library, leaps to his feet.
ROGER (YELLING) There’s no ‘me’. I fucking get it. That’s all enlightenment is — realizing there is no me. In-fucking-credible.
The prisoners around him smile and shake their heads. A prison employee behind the counter of the front desk, RALPH WINSTON — 48, skinny, cynical — looks at Roger.
RALPH Hey Rog, I don’t wanna rain on your parade but you ain’t free for another five years or so.
Inmates laugh.
ROGER Shows what you know, pal. I’m free right god damned now.
RALPH I’ll be sure to let the warden know.
He laughs and goes to answer an inmate’s question.
INT. HENNEPIN COUNTY JAIL – MAIN ENTRANCE – FIVE YEARS LATER – DAY
Roger emerges, sees his best friend STEPHEN GATES — late 40’s, Asian, looks younger than he really is, almost constant smile on his face. They hug.
STEPHEN Hi Buddy, you’re finally out.
ROGER Damn right I am. Actually I was free about five years ago.
STEPHEN Huh?
ROGER I mean in my mind. I realized I could be ‘free’ anytime I wanted if I understood there was no ‘me’. Never mind, most people don’t understand. I sometime forget the truth. Anyway, most days I’m enlightened but for the next two or three days, I’m going to be unenlightened.
STEPHEN What does that mean?
ROGER It means I need you to drive me to Liquor Lyle’s so I can get shit-faced drunk.
STEPHEN You sure you want to do that? I mean drinking is how you got in prison in the first place.
ROGER Trust me, I realize that, but think about it, I haven’t had a drink for the last decade. I’m going to be sober but first, in order to get the urge to drink out of my system, I have to put a shit load of liquor into my system, for like, as I said, two or three days. Then I’ll be fine.
STEPHEN Okay, if you say so.
ROGER Alright Stephen, where’d you park?
INT. LIQUOR LYLE’S BAR – DAY
Roger and Stephen sit in a booth by the bar’s two POOL TABLES. Roger has two MARTINIS in front of him (it’s happy hour so two for one); Stephen has two TALL GLASSES OF GRAIN BELT BEER. A PILE OF CHICKEN WINGS sits on a plate in the middle of the table.
ROGER Hey you want to play a few games of pool after a few drinks?
STEPHEN Yeah, why not?
Roger smells his drink, fishes out the green olive and pops it into his mouth. While still chewing, he takes a drink of the martini.
ROGER Holy shit, that’s yummy. So you still working at Wal-Mart?
STEPHEN Nope. Quit a few months ago, well, didn’t actually quit but I went to part-time, on call I guess you’d call it. Management only calls me when they’re really, really desperate.
ROGER I see.
STEPHEN I sell my artwork, mostly watercolor paintings, on Etsy. And our band made a CD that we sell on Amazon and a few other sites.
Roger gulps down half of the martini.
ROGER Cool. What’s the name of your band?
Stephen digs into a chicken wing. He holds up a finger ala Archer as he finishes off the wing and grabs another. Between chews, he answers.
STEPHEN Listen Up, Bitches, We’re Rockin’ Here.
ROGER I love it. It’s got to be daunting to form a rock ‘n roll band and think you’re going to stand out from all the other rock bands.
STEPHEN Hey you got to forget about what you’ve been and pretend you’re who you want to be.
ROGER Hmm, sounds like AA’s ‘fake it until you make it’ saying.
He polishes off martini number one, snatches a couple of wings, digs into them.
STEPHEN So where are you going to stay during this binge?
ROGER I was hoping I could crash at your place. I should be able to find an apartment within a couple of days, I mean with the Internet it won’t take long to find a place.
STEPHEN As long as you can come up with the security and damage deposits, yeah, shouldn’t be a problem. Even with a prison record, as long as you can show them the money, you’re in like flint.
ROGER I trust I can use you as a reference.
STEPHEN For sure.
Roger gulps his new martini. He removes olive from the toothpick and chows it down. He knocks back most of the vodka-dominated drink and waves down a server, TERESA — 60’s, busty, dyed blonde hair, retro vibe.
TERESA Another round?
ROGER You read my mind, Darlin’.
TERESA Be back in a bit, Sugar.
Stephen rolls his eyes as he sips his Grain Belt.
STEPHEN Darlin’, Sugar, really? This is like a hard-boiled mystery circa 1950.
ROGER And that’d make me a dick, private dick, that is.
STEPHEN Hey pal, keep your dick private, okay?
They laugh.
STEPHEN Speaking of dicks, the famous local businessman, Bobby Babbitt, could use one.
ROGER The computer guy?
STEPHEN
Yep. He’s accused of killing an ex-coworker over their dispute about Babbitt’s invention of a new type of quantum computer. Look it up on your phone.
ROGER Maybe later. Right now we got serious drinking and pool playing to attend to.
Server sets theirs drinks on the table.
TERESA There you go, gents.
ROGER (WINKING) Thanks, Doll. Put them on my tab, will yah?
TERESA Don’t you worry, Big Man, I will. This gal needs all the tips she can get, know what I mean, Sugar?
ROGER I do indeed, Beautiful. Thanks.
She winks, puts extra energy in her ‘shake’ as she strides away from them. Roger nods at the pool table.
ROGER Shall we?
STEPHEN Yes, we shall. And I shall kick your ex-con butt.
ROGER We’ll see about that, Minnesota Fats.
STEPHEN Hey, I lost thirteen pounds.
ROGER What’d you do, misplace your bowling ball?
STEPHEN That’s it, I’m now officially mad.
INT. LIQUOR LYLE’S BAR – NIGHT
Stephen drinks Diet Coke. Roger has another martini.
STEPHEN So is today the end of your binge?
ROGER Hell no, I got one more day of denying reality and catching a serious buzz in me.
STEPHEN And then what?
ROGER And then I check out a few of the ads for apartments. And figure out what I’m going to do for employment.
STEPHEN What about returning to the Minneapolis PD?
ROGER Naw, I don’t think that’s going to work. I’d love to do something similar to what I did on the police force, which is investigating homicides. But I want to be my own boss.
STEPHEN You could open up your own P.I. business.
ROGER Bingo. And I’m hoping my first client is Bobby Babbitt.
STEPHEN It’d be a nice high-profile case.
ROGER In the meantime, it’s bottoms up.
They clink glasses.
Who Framed Bobby Babbitt? 