Tuesday, November 25, 2014
don't forget the limo driver
INT. Congressman Charlie Wilsons' office - Day
Charlie Wilson -- To shoot down the helicopters.
To shoot down the helicopters.
If we can help them shoot down the goddamn helicopters, everything's gonna start going our way!
Avrakotos -- You know, there's a story about a Zen master and a little boy.
[Door opens; Bonnie in.]
Gus Avrakotos -- (raising his hand, like -- Right, got it) -- Yeah.
[Gus out.]
Bonnie -- "It's Stu."
Wilson -- You should be in on this.
She sits at his desk, lifts the telephone receiver and listens, as Charlie visits with "Stu" on a phone by the couch, where he sits, looking kind of like he's been carrying something heavy.
Charlie (on phone) -- Stu?
(listens)
No. No, it's gonna be fine. It was a party in Vegas. Lot of drugs, lot of people I don't know. I was there with Crystal Lee and this guy Paul Brown
who wanted me to invest in a TV show for Crystal.
(listens)
I don't know.
I don't know, it's gonna be like a "Dallas" set in Washington. What...Stu, what does it matter?
(listens)
Okay.
(pause)
Okay.
After he hangs up, Bonnie says intensively, "Will Crystal back up your story that you weren't using?"
-- Just go put out the statement.
-- You know what? (as she goes switching out of the office) -- You never should have been in the same room, Congressman.
The door closes -- decisively.
"Gus!"
Gust Avrakotos re-enters the room.
Gust -- Yeah.
Wilson -- The Swiss make an anti-aircraft gun called the Oerlikon.
Gust -- Listen, Charlie.
Wilson -- Twenty-millimeter cannon, high rate of fire.
Gust -- I know the Oerlikon. Don't forget the limo driver.
Wilson -- What do you mean?
-- Well, you took a limo from the casino to the airport. It's easy enough to track down a limo driver, hand him a subpoena, ask him if anything was going on in the back seat. So, you know, in terms of cleaning up this...
Wilson -- Were you listening at the door?
-- I wasn't listening at the door.
-- Were you standing -- at the goddamn door, listening to me??!
-- No.
-- How could you even...That's a thick door! You stood there and you listened to me?
-- I wasn't listening at the door. Don't be an idiot. I bugged the Scotch bottle.
The Congressman is about to pop a vein, having worked himself up into full auto-rant.
Congressman Wilson -- "WHAT???!!!!"
The CAMERA fast-pans horizontally from where Charlie was looking, over across the office to where the bottle of Scotch (the "special" one that came with a poem) stands, tied with a red ribbon.
Gust Avrakotos -- Yeah, it's got a little transmitter on it; I got a little thing in my ear; get past it.
Charlie (indignant, incredulous) -- I don't believe this. Who the fuck -- Who the fuck are you?
Gust -- It's not in my ear right now. Take it easy. I was gonna tell you about it, but I had to leave the room for a second 'cause you were gettin' indicted.
Charlie (in a waving-minor-things-aside-with-casual-and-weary-confidence tone of voice) -- Ah--I ain't getting indicted. (He stares at the scotch bottle for a moment, then looks up at Gust) -- Is there a camera in here?
-30-
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