100 Proof 8
Extended w/o illustrations
INT. WES’ EL CAMINO - INSIDE TRUNK - NIGHT
Total darkness.
Then Big Roy pops open the trunk to Wes’ El Camino, reaches inside and slips off the hood covering Bobo’s face.
Moonlight reveals Bobo, curled up inside the trunk. He regains consciousness and lifts himself up. There’s a dark, swollen welt under Bobo’s right eye and he’s missing his clown nose.
Jimbo (OS): Roy! Get over here.
Big Roy quickly joins Jimbo, allowing Bobo the opportunity to crawl out of the trunk.
EXT. WOODS
Wes is writhing on the ground; shaking, frothing at the mouth. Jimbo, Hank and Big Roy helplessly hover over their friend.
Bobo shoves Hank aside.
Bobo: He’s havin’ a seizure, you idiots. Hold him down!
Bobo strips off his belt.
Big Roy, Jimbo and Hank appear confused at first, but they eventually jump in to hold Wes still.
Bobo pries open Wes’ mouth and shoves belt leather between his teeth.
Big Roy: What’re you doin’?
Bobo: Want him to bite his tongue off?
Big Roy, Jimbo, and Hank look on in awe.
INT. DIRTDOBBER RANCH - MAIN HOUSE - WHISKEY’S BEDROOM
There’s a knock on the door.
Whiskey, lying in bed with a box of tissues by her side, wipes tears, as Bubba Smiley cracks open the door.
Bubba: Hey, Squirt, I think maybe we need t’talk.
Whiskey: Not now, okay?
Bubba: Looky here, I don’t remember none of it, but if you say it’s mine I’ll take your word for it.
Whiskey turns over, buries herself in pillow.
Bubba: I mean, I’ll do right by ya. But . . . I’m not about to walk no aisle.
Whiskey screams into the pillow.
Bubba: Okay, see, no need to get upset there, I CAN help you. Well, least I know—I know folks. Folks that’ll fix, you know, ladies, um, in your situation.
Whiskey is still buried in pillow.
Bubba: Mr. Reice’ll pay for everything, too. And nobody has to ever know. Not even Neva.
Whiskey is weeping into the pillow now.
Bubba places Reice’s contract on the dressing table.
Bubba: You just sign this here and we’ll get you all fixed up. You’ll be ridin’ ponies in the big show ‘fore ya know it.
Bubba exits, gently closing the door behind him.
Bubba (whispers): Think on it. I’ll be downstairs. Case you need me.
INT. DIRTDOBBER RANCH - KITCHEN - NEXT MORNING
At the kitchen table, Professor, wearing pajamas (with a teacup design), reads a feature story in the morning newspaper about missing children.
Toby is also at the table, playing with pancakes.
Professor: The article goes on to say that the missing children are ...
Toby pretends his pancakes are either mouse ears or dish antennaes.
Toby: Something’s not— Feels off.
Neva enters the room holding Whiskey’s diary. There’s a Pregnancy Test Strip —like a bookmark— inserted between pages.
Neva: Whiskey’s gone.
Professor sips tea, winks at Neva.
Professor: Bobo is also missing. Sooo. . .
Neva shows Professor the test strip. Whiskey’s definitely pregnant.
Neva: I don’t see how romance fits this picture, Professor.
Spit-take from Professor.
EXT. MOM AND POP STORE/FILLING STATION
Bubba is by the pumps filling his truck* with gas.
* big red, custom job with a steer horn hood ornament.
INT. MOM AND POP STORE
Whiskey steps up to the counter with an armload of junk food. Sees a poster for a missing child.
INSERT: Poster reads “Have you seen my baby? (photo) Charles is two years old and a fool for apple sauce. If found please contact ---- (phone number).”
LADY (at register): This all, hon?
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD - LATER
Bubba’s truck kicks up dust as it turns down a side road lined with crucifix-shaped cut out billboards.
At the end of the winding road sits an old-fashioned clapboard church house with a steeple bell tower.
INT. BUBBA’S TRUCK
Whiskey: Wait? This? This is the place?
Bubba: Just a farmhouse now. Usta be a church, I guess. Anyways, this is where the lady I told you about lives. Her name’s Wanda. She was a nurse one time, I guess. Now she’s a waitress and a mid-wife. Other things. (beat) Don’t worry, kid. She’ll get ya back in the saddle.
Bubba reaches over Whiskey to open the passenger side door.
Bubba: It’s all paid for. (waves her off) Scoot. They’re waitin’ on ya.
Whiskey: Aren’t you comin’ in?
Bubba: This here’s woman’s work. (raises eyebrows) But I’ll be back round to pick you up in a few hours. (beat) Go. Go on. Git along.
INT. CONVERTED CHURCH - LIVING ROOM (formerly the nave)
Whiskey spreads open double doors leading into a large, open space.
Whiskey (meekly): Hello?
Whiskey scans the area. There are stained glass windows on either side wall and religious paraphernalia everywhere. But instead of pews, there’s living room furniture — like a typical family home.
Whiskey: Anybody here?
Whiskey almost trips over a stuffed animal. She places the toy on a couch near a large end table full of old framed photos.
CU of photo featuring a woman (Young Wanda), her husband, and two young children.
Wanda quietly appears, startling Whiskey
Wanda: That’s me, Lenard and our babies Rufus and Ruth Anne. I musta been twenty-two when that pitchure got took.
Whiskey: Um. Hello. Uh, the door was . . . open. (beat) I didn’t mean to be nosey.
Wanda moves closer, points to one of the kids in the photo.
Wanda: That’s Rufus there. He was a pretty one. Died of SIDS about a year after Lenard left us.
Wanda stares at Whiskey as if encouraging sympathy.
Whiskey: That’s just terrible.
Wanda feigns pain, turns away from Whiskey. She obviously craves attention, feeds on sympathy.
Whiskey slowly shakes her head.
Whiskey: You poor woman.
Wanda blankly stares at the photo for a moment.
Wanda: I did love my Lenny. Yes, ma’am, I knew all the love any woman could ask for in this life.
Whiskey: That’s a comfort.
Wanda (turns to face Whiskey): You’re Miss Dickel? That right?
Whiskey: Yes’um.
Wanda (taps on photo): Awright then. We got everything all set up for ya.
Wanda turns away from the photo.
Wanda: I’s crazy for that man — my Lenny. A powerful, heart gripping love. (reflective) Lord, when he left the first time I broke down something awful. Saw him that last time at Ruthie’s funeral. Always thought we’d get back together, but we never did.
Whiskey bites her lip.
Whiskey: Ruth Anne, huh? She died, too?
Wanda perks up as if hearing something in another room.
Wanda: Oh, goodness. Honey, I have to attend to that. (beat) You stay here. I’ll be back directly.
Wanda rushes toward a raised lectern, then exits through a door behind a curtain wall.
Whiskey can hear the noise now. It’s muffled, but it sounds a lot like a whiny pup or a cranky baby.
Wanda (OS): Hush now. Shhh. Mama’s here. Mama’s here.
Overwhelmed with curiosity, Whiskey steps up on the lectern. She hesitates for a moment, then pulls aside the curtain.
WHISKEY’S POV: The door behind the curtain is slightly open.
WHISKEY’s hand pushes the door open wider.
INT. CONVERTED CHURCH - BACK ROOM (FORMERLY A SACRISTY)
There’s a wedding dress and veil hanging from a nail on the wall. Cobwebs and lit candles everywhere. Dried up flowers wilting in a vase. A photo of a stern looking Baptist preacher hangs in a place of reverence.
Wanda is rocking an empty cradle.
Wanda: Come on in, dear. Meet little sugarplum.
Whiskey (confused): Ma’m?
Wanda: She makes a joyful noise, don’t she?
A figure stirs in a darkened corner of the room.
It’s WILBUR PANDY.
Wilbur (to Whiskey): I see my sweet sister’s found herself another stray lamb.
THERAN PANDY, holding a real baby, appears behind Whiskey.
Surrounded by the Pandy brothers, Whiskey gets nervous.
Theran (to Wanda): Here’s your sugarplum, sister.
Theran pushes past Whiskey and hands off the baby to Wanda.
Wanda places the baby in the empty cradle.
Wanda: Sssshhh, child. Hushabye.
Wanda rocks the cradle, whispering;
Wanda: Theran, take that other child away from here now. You’re just gonna get em both all excited. I’ll be up all night with two wailin’ babes.
Whiskey is both frightened and confused.
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD
Bubba’s truck barrels down dirt road.
INT. BUBBA’S TRUCK - WINDSHIELD POV
Bobo unexpectedly appears, waving arms in the middle of the road.
INT. BUBBA’S TRUCK
Bobo climbs inside.
Bubba: You’re not lookin’ too good, there Bo.
Bobo: Had me a disagreement with a couple gentlemen.
Bubba: Well, don’t get any blood on the upholstery.
Bobo: Where you headed?
INT. CONVERTED CHURCH - BACK ROOM
Whiskey’s been gagged, her hands tied to a bed. And she’s struggling to get free.
Wilbur: Fiesty little she-devil. Ain’t she?
Theran: That she is, brother.
Hearing the sound of a vehicle outside, Theran lifts curtain to see who it might be.
Theran: More company?
Wilbur: Theran, please tell our guests that we are not receiving company at this hour.
Wanda (OS): Is it Lenard?
EXT. CONVERTED CHURCH
Theran steps out a side door and makes his way to Bubba’s truck.
Theran: Can I help you, gentlemen?
Bubba leans out the driver’s side window.
Bubba: We have business with Miss Wanda. There’s a young lady...
INT. BUBBA’S TRUCK
Bobo (to Bubba): You brought her here?
Theran peers inside through the driver’s side window.
Theran: No such visitor today, brother. I believe you’re mistaken.
Bubba: I dropped her here about an hour back. Maybe I need to speak to Miss Wanda.
Theran: I’m afraid you gentlemen will have to leave. My sister’s not well.
INT. DIRTDOBBER RANCH - BUNKHOUSE
Toby, clutching the pillow on his bunk, appears to be in a trance. He jerks himself to consciousness and frantically calls out:
Toby: Somethin’ — somethin’—somethin’— it’s bad.
Toby jumps out of his bunk.
Professor, reading a Noel Coward biography in a comfy chair, attempts to soothe Toby.
Professor: Ssshhh. It was just a dream, Tobias.
Toby: Where’s Bobo? I need to speak to Bobo.
EXT. CONVERTED CHURCH
There’s a thundering crash followed by a blood-curdling scream inside the building.
Bobo jumps out of Bubba’s truck.
The double doors at the entry to the converted church swing open...
...and Wilbur Pandy spills out, rolling on the ground.
Whiskey, red faced and angry, stands at the entryway. She has managed to rip the bedpost away and is dragging it with her.
Whiskey raises the bedpost like a weapon.
The bedpost comes down on Wilbur’s head with a crack!
Wanda exits the side door. She aims a rifle at Bobo.
Bubba, having put the truck in reverse, skids out of the drive backwards.
Whiskey rushes Wanda. Knocks her to the ground. Her rifle goes off.
Bobo takes a shot to his shoulder.
TO BE CONTINUED . . .
100 Proof (extended script) is based on a story featured in the IMAGE COMICS graphic novel WHISKEY DICKEL, INT’L COWGIRL.