Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
by Steven Donnini
by Steven Donnini
Copyright 2004
1
Introduction
beer, wine and soda coolers. Hanging from the ceiling are
It’s still the after midnight Mecca for the night crawlers
2
Poppy, once a spry young Polish Jewish emigrant, is now
seen all kinds of people come into the store over the years
OMAR, “I learned that these animals would kill you for five
bucks, or just for fun. Now, when they take out a knife or
The Holidays are always the time when family history and
3
When he tried to show it to everyone, Dad told him to
off for years, it’s time I got something back.” There are
4
insurance goes up, so they keep the tapes and don’t call
when it’s better for everyone to just forget it. Then, one
she looks like she stepped out of the 60’s. She turned out
at Poppy’s.
They drive by and fire their guns into the store breaking
glass windows and wine bottles. When the shooting was over
MITCH, SALLY, and OMAR are all hunkered down on the floor
blood trail going out the backdoor leading into the alley.
a police report.
5
It is Christmas Eve, SALLY and OMAR have just started their
shift.
a cold winter night and a Puerto Rican drug gang was after
she had a stroke from rock cocaine. I told him about the
OMAR sums up the story… “I think SALLY was right about some
6
industry or a full time rehab counselor position would get
impulse control.
I don’t agree with most of her religious dogma, but she has
deserve it.”
7
“Night Crawlers”
By Steven D. Donnini
Library Of Congress
WGA
Copyright Steven Donnini 2004
8
Setting
Buffalo, NY.
CHARACTERS
SALLY Amagone
9
MITCH (Michael Alveraz)
AUGGY Bazycki
10
“Night Crawlers”
By Steven Donnini
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
11
OMAR
SALLY
SALLY
As in Hare Krishna?
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
12
OMAR
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
13
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
That’s scary.
14
OMAR
SALLY
What happened?
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
15
SALLY
Yeah and…
OMAR
SALLY
(AUGGY walks in the door and shakes of the snow from his
parker.)
AUGGY
SALLY
AUGGY
SALLY
16
OMAR
Why ask?
AUGGY
OMAR
AUGGY
SALLY
OMAR
AUGGY
AUGGY pays for his cigarettes and beer and leaves the
store.
SALLY
17
OMAR
SALLY
Bless them.
OMAR
SALLY
They’re harmless.
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
18
It was the same gang.
Word travels fast when you’re a push over.
After the first month I wised up.
SALLY
OH?
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
SALLY
TWO-STEP
SALLY
Isn’t it cold out there?
19
TWO-STEP
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
(Pointing at TWO-STEP)
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
20
How’d you get so messed up?
TWO-STEP
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
21
I can see this conversation is going
to evolve into a Bible Story.
Maybe it will be put into a future
version of the Bible.
SALLY
OMAR
TWO-STEP
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
Oh?
OMAR
22
When I was 13, my oldest sister
was drawn into a group of Christian
Fundamentalists.
SALLY
OMAR
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
TWO-STEP
OMAR
SALLY
23
Jesus is always there when you’re ready.
OMAR
TWO-STEP
SALLY
OMAR
TWO-STEP
I like it.
OMAR
OMAR takes a box of VHS tape and walks into the back
room.
SALLY
TWO-STEP
SALLY
24
Oh.
TWO-STEP
SALLY
Yeah, me too.
TWO-STEP
SALLY
TWO-STEP
SALLY
Why is that?
TWO-STEP
SALLY
TWO-STEP
25
The last time the judge said I was
going to jail or to rehab or placed
in a state home for the insane.
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR walks back into the store from the back room.
OMAR
TWO-STEP
Nope.
OMAR
TWO-STEP
All right.
26
TWO-STEP
OMAR
OMAR
SALLY
TWO-STEP
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
SALLY
TWO-STEP
27
Sure.
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
Yeah?
MITCH
Come here.
SALLY
Hi there.
OMAR
So?
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
28
I told you about my wife getting sick.
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
29
That’s confidential. My wife has
been answering the phone and
listening to what they’re going
to do to her if I don’t pay.
OMAR
Who is it?
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
30
Women want two things from older
guys like us. Sex and Security.
That’s all. The love thing is all
about what we want and they play to it.
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
Thanks.
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
31
If a cop sees him, you’re in trouble,
not me.
OMAR
So what?
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
TWO-STEP
SALLY
Not me.
OMAR
TWO-STEP
MITCH
32
Give me a Bull.
OMAR
MITCH
SALLY
OMAR
AUGGY
SALLY
AUGGY
OMAR
AUGGY pulls out a gun from inside his old army coat.
AUGGY
33
Give me all the money in the cash
register.
SALLY
Oh my.
OMAR
AUGGY
OMAR
No way.
SALLY
AUGGY
OMAR
AUGGY
SALLY
34
No. You don’t need to do that.
I’ll give you the money.
OMAR
SALLY
Do I care?
AUGGY
OMAR
AUGGY
SALLY
AUGGY
OMAR
AUGGY
35
So what? What’s the difference?
It’s still a pack of cigarettes.
OMAR
AUGGY
MITCH
TWO-STEP
OMAR
MITCH
SALLY
OMAR
AUGGY
36
I still want the money.
OMAR
AUGGY
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
AUGGY
MITCH
AUGGY
MITCH
No too messy.
OMAR
AUGGY
37
What’s that?
MITCH
AUGGY
SALLY
TWO-STEP
Jesus, that’s hardly worth getting
in trouble over.
AUGGY
SALLY
OMAR
AUGGY
OMAR
AUGGY
Here see.
38
AUGGY points the pistol at the floor and pulls the
trigger. The hammer clicks, but nothing happens.
OMAR
SALLY
SALLY reaches into her purse and takes out a $20 bill.
OMAR
SALLY
AUGGY
OMAR
TWO-STEP
MITCH
OMAR
39
No body is going to hit anybody.
I don’t want the hassle. We don’t
want a trip to the Emergency Room.
Give me that gun before you
get yourself killed.
AUGGY
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
TWO-STEP
MITCH
Is he a Jew?
OMAR
40
I think he’s from Armenia or Serbia.
All I know is that he’s been good to me.
SALLY
MITCH
TWO-STEP
AUGGY
OMAR
AUGGY
SALLY
OMAR
He’s harmless.
SALLY
OMAR
41
I’ll explain that he was just kidding
and that it was a plastic gun.
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
AUGGY
OMAR
MITCH
What?
OMAR
Tell them.
MITCH
42
I don’t want to.
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
SALLY
MITCH
TWO-STEP
AUGGY
Oh Yeah!
MITCH
OMAR
43
Because he’s a fuck up too.
MITCH
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
MITCH
TWO-STEP
AUGGY
Every day.
SALLY
OMAR
44
TWO-STEP
SALLY
AUGGY
SALLY
OMAR
AUGGY
MITCH
SALLY
MITCH
OMAR
45
The Church changes the good book
every few years. The New Revised
Fundamentalists Version number two.
TWO-STEP
MITCH
TWO-STEP
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
AUGGY
46
I’m an expert on that.
MITCH
AUGGY
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
SALLY
47
Believe what you want now. But when the
end comes you’ll change your mind.
My Dad was a life long atheist and in
his final moments, he accepted Jesus
into his heart.
TWO-STEP
MITCH
AUGGY
MITCH
What?
AUGGY
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
48
Go to the DEA and tell your
story and see if they’ll help.
MITCH
Like a snitch?
AUGGY
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
AUGGY
MITCH
I didn’t know.
SALLY
MITCH
49
We tried that. I couldn’t get a word
in edge wise. All she talked about
was her problem with her father.
And how controlling I am.
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
AUGGY
OMAR
4 times.
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
Go on, what?
OMAR
MITCH
50
They’re all named Rita?
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
You must have to pay a bundle in support.
OMAR
That’s mostly over now. I maybe the
only man who didn’t learn anything
from getting divorced.
SALLY
(looking at photos)
OMAR
MITCH
51
Oh man! That’s the worst.
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
Self preservation comes to the rescue.
TWO-STEP
52
I hear you.
MITCH
AUGGY
SALLY
TWO-STEP
AUGGY
No way.
TWO-STEP
AUGGY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
53
SALLY
MITCH
AUGGY
SALLY
AUGGY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
54
$19,000.
SALLY
AUGGY
SALLY
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
SALLY
AUGGY
SALLY
OMAR
55
I can’t afford to win.
MITCH
SALLY
MITCH
SALLY
MITCH
That’s cold.
SALLY
I just feel better when their not around.
MITCH
I know, nobody cares.
SALLY
I know your right. I should care more
about them. But the make it hard
to love them.
MITCH
56
SALLY
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
That’s discrimination.
OMAR
MITCH
SALLY
OMAR
57
The men are another thing altogether.
They’re all fucking drug dealers
or addicts.
SALLY
MITCH
AUGGY
MITCH
AUGGY
MITCH
AUGGY
MITCH
58
An hour later the water was 2 inches
deep down the hallway into the
Dean’s office. Mr. Shavonie thought
it was me, so I was expelled from
his class.
AUGGY
MITCH
AUGGY
MITCH
AUGGY
MITCH
59
SALLY
TWO-STEP
AUGGY
MITCH
SALLY
That’s nice.
MITCH
SALLY
MITCH
Everything is perfect.
SALLY
MITCH
60
Everywhere I sit, I’m afraid I’m
going to drop your food and make a mess.
SALLY
MITCH
SALLY
MITCH
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
61
Billy Sr. and Vern.
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
SALLY
MITCH
Hello.
62
SALLY picks up the newspaper and starts reading.
SALLY
TWO-STEP
SALLY
Where is he now?
TWO-STEP
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
63
Sit down behind the counter and don’t
get up till I tell you to.
MITCH
OMAR
SALLY
MITCH
SALLY
TWO-STEP
I’m an Aquarius.
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
What am I?
SALLY
64
Scorpio.
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
AUGGY
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
65
I’m a Leo. You can tell a Leo by
the big hair, clothes, cars and diamonds.
MITCH
OMAR
SALLY
66
MITCH creeps up again from behind the counter.
MITCH
SALLY
OMAR
AUGGY
67
Very clever those Pakistani Devils.
SALLY
AUGGY
MITCH
SALLY
AUGGY
OMAR walks over to the light switch and turns off the
lights.
OMAR
68
Gunshots are fired into the store. The window breaks
and SALLY cries out.
SALLY
OMAR
Is anybody hit?
SALLY
AUGGY
I can’t move.
OMAR
MITCH
I’m here.
OMAR
SALLY
No.
69
AUGGY crawls to the front window and looks out from
between the signs taped to it.
AUGGY
OMAR
OMAR
AUGGY
SALLY
Where’s TWO-STEP?
She must have stepped out the back door during the
shooting.
MITCH
SALLY
OMAR
70
OMAR walks to the telephone and calls Poppy.
OMAR
OMAR
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
71
SALLY
AUGGY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
72
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY goes to the coat rack on the back wall and walks
to the front door.
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
MITCH
OMAR
73
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
Well…
OMAR
74
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
75
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
Is she alone?
MITCH
Yes.
MITCH
SALLY
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
Of course I do.
SALLY
76
OMAR
What happened?
SALLY
OMAR
OMAR puts down his broom and walks to the wall phone.
OMAR
MITCH
Can I go now?
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
77
MITCH
I’m screwed.
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
Yeah. I know.
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
I don’t know.
78
SALLY
MITCH
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
SALLY
MITCH
SALLY
79
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
MITCH
80
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
MITCH
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
81
No. That sounds like AUGGY shot TWO-STEP.
Besides there’s the surveillance
videotapes.
SALLY
No more TWO-STEP.
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
82
The stage goes to black out for a wardrobe and set
changes.
OMAR
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
MITCH
OMAR
MITCH
OMAR
83
It’s only for a few days.
MITCH
SALLY
MITCH
SALLY
MITCH
OMAR
Anonymous right?
MITCH
OMAR
SALLY
84
MITCH
SALLY
I won.
OMAR
The Lotto?
SALLY
OMAR
SALLY
85
OMAR
You’re dreaming.
MITCH
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
TWO-STEP
OMAR
SALLY
86
It’s drainage, her lung is draining.
I know about these things I worked
as a nurses aide.
TWO-STEP
SALLY
TWO-STEP
OMAR
TWO-STEP
SALLY
TWO-STEP
SALLY
Oh great.
OMAR
MITCH
87
Free cigarettes. That’s value plus, man.
SALLY
OMAR
TWO-STEP
SALLY
Looks OK to me.
SALLY
TWO-STEP
Merry Christmas.
MITCH
Cheers.
OMAR
88
Don’t leave without a hug. You never
know when one of us could be taken
to the Holy Land. Or die in our sleep.
MITCH
TWO-STEP
OMAR
89
But, every once in a while someone
like SALLY will surprise me.
I don’t agree with most of her
religious dogma, but she has a gift,
an unexpected kindness that causes
a lot of strange feelings in me.
And I think it’s only natural to have
more than one miracle at Christmas.
FADE TO BLACK
90