Zum Zum's

Zum Zum’s





FADE IN:



EXT. NIGHT - ZUM ZUM’S DINER

A man walks through a deserted parking lot towards a diner. His hands are thrust into his wool coat. He is wearing a woolen cap and looks around him nervously as he walks.

His hand grasps the door handle and he enters the diner.



INT. NIGHT - ZUM ZUM’S DINER

The diner is crowded. He spots one seat in a booth.

He approaches the booth. There is a stoic looking black man who is ending a conversation on his cellphone.

The black man puts the phone in his pocket and smiles.



BLACK MAN

You can sit here if you like. I’m not expecting anyone. In fact I’d enjoy the company.

The man takes his offer and sits in the booth. He lets his coat drop to his waist, takes off his hat and makes himself comfortable.



The waitress arrives.



WAITRESS

Anything I can get you?



THE MAN

(whispering)

Coffee. Black. No sugar.



WAITRESS

Excuse me?



BLACK MAN

The man wants coffee, black, no sugar.



There is silence at the table. Each man stares at each other.



BLACK MAN (CONT’D)

My Name is Franklin.



He extends his hand.



BLACK MAN (CONT’D)

And you?



The man sits. Coat wrapped around his waist, he shoves his hands in his pocket. He doesn’t return the gesture.

Franklin returns to his meal. He ignores his booth partner.



WAITRESS

Here’s your coffee. Free refills if you order something to eat. Here’s the menu.

She plops the menu down in front of the man and leaves.



FRANKLIN

The meatloaf is good.



Franklin takes a sip of coffee and continues to eat as if he said nothing.



THE MAN

Do you mind if I smoke?



FRANKLIN

Yes.



The Man pulls his hands out of his pockets and lights up a cigarette.



Franklin looks at him angrily and takes a sip of coffee.



The waitress approaches.



WAITRESS

There’s no smoking here.



THE MAN

I’ll have the meatloaf.



He puts out his cigarette on the table.



WAITRESS

You can’t do that!



The Man looks around the table.



THE MAN

Well, you have an ashtray. The meatloaf please.



The waitress storms off down the aisle.



FRANKLIN

You’re her best friend now.

The Man laughs as his shoulders relax.



THE MAN

So. Why are you here?



FRANKLIN

What do you mean?



THE MAN

I’ve heard that Zum Zum’s is a last call. The kind of place you go when…



FRANKLIN

You’re at the end.



THE MAN

Yeah.



FRANKLIN

I come for the meatloaf.



The waitress returns to the table. She places down two plates of meatloaf. Picks up Franklin’s empty plate and walks away.

A second later she returns with a coffee pot and pours The Man a cup of coffee and refreshes Franklin’s cup.

She leaves.



THE MAN

The cuisine, huh?



FRANKLIN

Try it man. It kicks.



The Man lifts his fork and takes a small bite of meatloaf.



THE MAN

This is incredible!



FRANKLIN

Not everyone here is on the brink of doom. At least not me.



The Man is eating the meatloaf with a fury.

He stops to sip coffee.



THE MAN

Well, I am.



He leans back in the booth.



FRANKLIN

That bad?



THE MAN

I don’t know…



FRANKLIN

Whenever you’re ready.



THE MAN

Huh?



Franklin sips his coffee. Puts his cup down and leans forward.



FRANKLIN

Listen. You’re hear for a reason. And it’s not for the fucking food. You walk in here, you say nothing. You piss me off with the god damned cigarette and you still haven’t told me your name.



THE MAN

Charles…



FRANKLIN

Hello Charles. Nice to meet-cha. I don’t know what your problem is and honestly I really don’t give a fuck. But I invited you into my booth, so I guess I invited your problems in too.



CHARLES

Listen if you want me the fuck outta here. I’m gone.



FRANKLIN

Don’t get all self righteous. All I’m saying is, if you’ve got a problem. Lets hear it, OK



CHARLES

Yes father.



FRANKLIN

That’s right. The confessional is open.



Charles pulls a bottle out of his coat pocket. Takes a swig.

Offers some to Franklin. He waves his hands and declines.

Charles puts the bottle on the table.



CHARLES

I guess none of it really matters now. Angela and I were young when we married. She was beautiful and I was foolish. I wanted to give her the world. And she wanted to have it, so I got this job.



FRANKLIN

Good job, bad job? Career move?



CHARLES

It depends. I guess it all depends.



FRANKLIN

Continue.



CHARLES

Well, the job wasn’t too Kosher, if you know what I mean. Real gangster types, but the money was … is good. I guess I can say is, although… My money was good, as I said. Angela was happy, for the moment. ‘Til one day, when she met my boss. Enrique. And suddenly, she wasn’t so happy.



FRANKLIN

What, your boss need a breath mint or something?



CHARLES

(chuckles)

No. Nothing that simple. You ever find yourself wanting, needing something so badly you ache? That’s the way I was with Angela. Everything about her, only made me want her more. But I could never satisfy her… Monetarily.



FRANKLIN

Sounds too high maintenance for me. You should have left her. A woman like that will get you in a world of trouble.



CHARLES

Don’t I know it.



FRANKLIN

So, why was your ‘woman’ so unhappy with your boss?



CHARLES

She was unhappy with me. Enrique. She was happy with, very happy with if you get my drift.



FRANKLIN

Oh, so she left you. For the boss. For the money.



CHARLES

It seems no matter what I do. Nothing works out right.



FRANKLIN

Don’t start the pity train. I ain’t here to indulge your lack of self worth.



CHARLES

I sorry if it disturbs you!



FRANKLIN

Now hold on, I was just saying, don’t put yourself down ‘cause some money hungry bitch dumps you and moves onto greener pastures. She did you a favor. Find someone new, hell find two. Move on damn-it.



CHARLES

I wish it were that easy.



FRANKLIN

It is… Unless you did something stupid.



Charles takes a sip of coffee. Takes his coat from around his waist and lays it on the seat next to him.



CHARLES

Stupid is as stupid does. Isn’t that what the movie said?



( Continued in next post)

Continued…



FRANKLIN

So that’s why you’re really here. Zum Zum’s. It’s not cause your woman left you. You really could care less. You’re running. I could tell when you walked across the parking lot. You are scared. Not lonely, depressed etc. Just plain scared. Like half the mugs in this joint.



CHARLES

I ain’t scared.



FRANKLIN

You’re running though. Why? And from that bulge in your coat pocket, I can tell it ain’t from no cops.



CHARLES

Fuck the police.



FRANKLIN

That’s how the song goes. Question is, how are you gonna play it out?



CHARLES

Play what out?



FRANKLIN

Mr. Griffin. The next move is yours.



Charles lowers his hands to his lap.



CHARLES

How do you know my last name? I didn’t tell you…



FRANKLIN

Mr. Charles Griffin. Age 29, brown hair, blue eyes. 223 Casten Avenue, Apartment 3C. Wife, Angela Griffin, whereabouts, unknown.



Charles glances at the bulge in his coat pocket. He slowly moves his hand in it’s direction.



CHARLES

Who are you?



FRANKLIN

Don’t get stupid Charles. Keep your hands on your lap. We don’t wanna scare nobody. It’s just you and me talking, drinking our coffee and enjoying each other’s company.



CHARLES

I said, who are you?



FRANKLIN

I don’t know just yet. I could be your savior or your end. I haven’t decided… I like you man, you’re OK people. Now, Enrique. He’s a bastard. Always was and always will be. Or rather, won’t be.



CHARLES

So you know. You know about tonight.



FRANKLIN

And I knew you would turn up here. Everyone, turns up here. Sooner or later. Tell me, Charles. Did it give you pleasure. To kill them. Did you it make you feel ‘good’?



Charles stares blankly into space for a moment. Then blinks his eyes rapidly.



CHARLES

No.



FRANKLIN

That’s where we differ.



CHARLES

You’re here to kill me.



FRANKLIN

Like I said, I don’t know yet.



Franklin waves his hand in the air. The Waitress approaches.



WAITRESS

Something else?



FRANKLIN

Yeah, you can take his plate away. He’s done eating. And freshen our coffee S’il vous plaît.



The Waitress picks up the plate and walks away from the booth.



The two sit in silence. It seems like an eternity.



The Waitress returns with coffee pot in hand. She adds coffee to both cups.



WAITRESS

Anything else? My shift ends soon.



FRANKLIN

No, that’s it.



WAITRESS

Great.



She stands over the two men as she fills out two separate checks. Oblivious to the two men, she places the bills on the table and walks away.



CHARLES

This is crazy.



FRANKLIN

What you did was crazy. You shoot a drug lord in the head over some piece of ass. Now that’s crazy.



CHARLES

I don’t care who he was, he had my Angela.



FRANKLIN

People don’t own people. That’s the first lesson. The second is, when somebody ‘truly’ owns your ass, expect repercussions when you blow a hole in their fucking skull.



CHARLES

You’re not gonna kill me.



FRANKLIN

What I do and what I don’t do. Have nothing to do with you. It has to do with that man in the Chevy in the parking lot. You see. He owns me. I hate to admit it, but even a man such as myself has weaknesses. Mine is gambling. And you’re my debt to pay.



CHARLES

You can’t be serious. You’re not gonna shoot me here. In front of all these people.



FRANKLIN

Don’t you get it yet. You telling me what I will and will not do, don’t mean shit. If anything it insures that I will kill your ass. And these people. Look around you, are they really here? Look at their faces, their body language. They are hiding. They couldn’t even spell cop. One shot from this gun underneath the table, and they are all ghosts. So don’t assume you know what I’m capable of doing. You can’t even come close to imagining.



CHARLES

Please. I’m sorry.



Charles looks out the window at a black Chevy that suddenly started up it’s engine.



FRANKLIN

You were saying.



CHARLES

I fucked up. Everyone fucks up sometime. I just need a chance. I’ll do whatever you say, leave town. You own me now. Maybe there’s someone you want done in. Maybe there’s something I can do for you?



FRANKLIN

I don’t give that much thought to people. There ain’t nothing you can do for me. I thought I liked you Charles. But you’re shallow. You’re already begging to be my bitch. I’m disappointed.



CHARLES

How do you know I won’t kill you before you have a chance to shoot? How do you know.



FRANKLIN

Quick draw McGraw!



Franklin laughs.



CHARLES

It’s not funny.



FRANKLIN

No it’s not.



Franklin brings his gun from under the table. At the same moment Charles reaches for his gun and fumbles it out of his pocket.



GUNSHOT!



FADE TO BLACK.

Yes, the script is out of order. Read the bottom one first. Sorry about that.



Roulette.

Sooo. Does it suck?

I read it out of order, but I liked it. Kind of silly that Charles would just happen to go to this particular diner and coincidentally share a booth with the guy sent to kill him but it was still pretty damn good. Considering it’s basically just a short scene with two guys talking you did a really good job of making both characters feel completely different just through the dialogue.



So… no. It doesn’t suck.

Thanks. It could only be a 10min scene, so it didn’t have much time for set up.