Final scene -- The Reckoning

EXT. CAR ON HIGHWAY (MOVING) - DAY

SUPER: TWENTY YEARS LATER - HIGHWAY TO ST. LOUIS

INT. SHINING NEW LINCOLN TOWN CAR (MOVING)

Digital clock turns from 6:59 to 7:00 am. Roxanne opens
glove compartment, moves a gun aside to grab a sunglasses
case. Empty coffee cups, fast food bags and maps adorn the
otherwise empty front seat.

Mick is sleeping in the back seat under a short, tattered
flannel blanket. He is in the fetal position.

INT. TRUCK STOP - DAY

WAITRESS #1, an older blonde, late forties, turns on an old
radio with a scratchy dial.

RADIO ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
Happy Monday morning to ya. Time
to go to work.

A COUNTRY & WESTERN TUNE begins to play

EXT. LINCOLN TOWN CAR (MOVING)

The car pulls into the lot and parks right in front of the
truck stop window.

Roxanne, in sunglasses, gets out. It’s cold enough that you
can see her breath. Slams her door shut, walks around to the
trunk, and takes out a leather pool case, a 50’s style beauty
case, and a hanger wrapped in plastic with items of dry
cleaning.

She opens the rear door and gives Mick the cue case, which he
sticks between his legs and goes back to sleep.

She runs her hand lovingly over the Lincoln, then impulsively
plants a wet kiss on the windshield, leaving a very sexy
lipstick mark. Smiling, she stares contentedly at Mick for a
minute, and a beautiful ray of sparkling white light forms a
halo around her head.

ROXANNE
(to herself)
We’ve all come a long way since the
Beastmobile.

INT. TRUCK STOP - SAME

Roxanne enters, dry cleaning and beauty case in hand. The
place is about half full with truckers. A typical, starting-to-
get-busy, Monday morning. The counter seems almost a mile
long. Front of the building is covered in glass and the cold
dew of the morning.

ROXANNE
(nodding to waitress)
Two black coffees to go. Ladies
room?

WAITRESS
Straight back to your left.

Waitress moves her head to the side to get a better look at
Roxanne, recognizing her. Roxanne starts walking toward the
bathroom before the waitress is half-done giving the
directions.

AGNES
I know that woman... Under the
sunglasses that is. Carl? How do
I know that woman?

Carl, the GRILL GUY, shrugs again, with no answer.

AGNES
Oh, yeah. Her husband is the pool
player. They been here ten times
or so since I started here in
’75... figures... Pool room is only
a mile away. Plenty action there.
Did make fifty dollars some years
back betting on her husband. Eats
like a horse. He once bet he could
eat a whole tray of chocolate cake.

Agnes, pauses to relive the episode.

AGNES
... Took a whole gallon of milk to
get it all down, too.

GRILL GUY
(dim-wittedly)
Oh, now I remember. That’s Double-
Smart Roxanne.

AGNES
Sure you remember, cause you bet
her husband couldn’t do it, you
dumb shit! Took you two months to
pay it off too...
(to herself)
My lord, she has hardly aged a bit.
I reckon she hasn’t seen more than
an hour of daylight in the past
twenty years, ‘cept behind a
steering wheel!

Roxanne yanks on the ladies bathroom door. It’s occupied, so
she enters the men’s She locks the door and moves a garbage
can under the knob to secure it further. She’s done this
before.

She undresses quickly. A holstered gun on her ankle, money
taped to her thigh, and a big scar on her butt from her
gunshot wound.

She dresses just as quickly. Brushes her teeth and puts on a
layer of make-up.

INSERT - HER BEAUTY CASE

The bottom of the case contains some gold and diamond
jewelry, a switchblade, and an open letter addressed from an
attorney.

INSERT - THE LETTER

Roxanne reads the letter.

ROXANNE (V.O.)
"You are asked to appear on
Tuesday, the 12th of February for
the reading of the will of Maura
Schwartz. Please respond..."

Roxanne stifles a tear, puts the letter away, looks at the
mirror, brushes her hair with her hand, forces a smile, and
walks out.

She sizes up the whole room, walks up to counter, and puts a
couple of singles down.

WAITRESS
(kind of excited)
How ya been doin’ sugar?

ROXANNE
Come again?

WAITRESS
(points to herself)
Remember me? Agnes? --
Roxanne, right? You’ve been in
here quite a few times -- not
lately -- You and that nice husband
of yours... can’t think of his name
(whispering)
I won fifty bucks when he ate that
pan of chocolate cake.

Roxanne looks irritated that Agnes recognizes her, but pushes
the dollars toward her.

ROXANNE
Here you go then.

Agnes, realizes that Roxanne did not want to be recognized,
and pushes the money back.

AGNES
On the house.

Roxanne smiles at her and Agnes smiles back. Agnes tries to
force herself not to speak as Roxanne walks out but does so
anyway like a giddy schoolgirl.

AGNES
I guess ya’all been doin’ okay.
That there’s a dandy new Lincoln
you got parked in front.

Roxanne stops in her tracks, turns around, and just smiles a
powerful smile that lights up the room. It is her trademark.

INT. THE GRAND POOLROOM, ST. LOUIS MISSOURI - NIGHT

Roxanne and Mick take a look around and notice a YOUNG PLAYER
(the player from the opening scene). Cue case in hand, he
walks into the pool room with an entourage.

MONTAGE OF THE POOL ACTION

-- Light is coming into pool room as time passes.
-- Mick is losing games and paying off.
-- Mick and Roxanne look tired, sweaty and worn out.
-- It's very late and only a few hangers on are watching the
game.
-- Roxanne and Mick act agitated with one another and Roxanne
walks around the room, maniacally asking for cigarettes.
-- The entourage of the other player keep congratulating him
and needling Mick.
-- Mick sits on his pool chair, looking grief-stricken.
-- He’s scratching his head and looking down and away -- the
loser tell!

BACK TO AN ENRAGED ROXANNE
ROXANNE

You’ve lost it, Mick. Look at
this! Look at this! You’ve got a
Great Man to play, and you're going
off like a rocket. We’re quitting.
You couldn’t beat Ray Charles.

Roxanne is making a scene in front of the quiet crowd. The
Sweators and entourage feel uncomfortable and embarrassed for
her.

MICK
No! Just give me the money then.
Leave if you want. I don’t care.
I'm going to keep playing anyway.

Roxanne takes out her purse, empties out all of the money on
the pool table.

ROXANNE
Here -- you son-of-a-bitch, you may
as well take the cheese and bet it
all. Every cent we have left.
Just blow it all. I’m gone... Palm
Springs to live with my dad. And
you...
(screaming)
-- that’s it for you! I knew all
along that I could never control
the loser inside you!

Roxanne hits him in the arm. She then walks up to the young
player and hands him a wad of cash. The young player
reluctantly takes it.

The young player, who’s very cocky, hands it to his own
backer, the leader of the young showy entourage, and he
counts it.

YOUNG GUY’S BACKER
This is a lot of money lady --
But, you got action.

Roxanne throws her hands up in the air, gives Mick the
finger, and storms out.

The young player nervously misses his next shot and Mick
takes a deep breath and stands up to take his turn.

EXT. THE POOL ROOM - DAY

Dawn is breaking. A very tired-looking Mick exits the pool
room. His cue case drags on the sidewalk. Shades his eyes
with his hand to ward off the early morning sunlight.

Head down, he walks down the street and turns the corner --
there is Roxanne, standing there leaning against the car.
When he gets closer, she opens her arms.

Mick, from a back view, opens his arms.

We see Mick frontally, with his arms and jacket open,
revealing the inside of his black leather jacket and the wads
of cash stuffed in the inner pockets.
He reveals his first smile.

They climb into the car and hold hands, kiss and giggle like
little kids and drive into the bright happy sunrise.

INT. LINCOLN TOWN CAR (MOVING) - DAY

MICK
(in a female voice, mocking
Roxanne)
Oh, you’ve lost it this time Mick!
I’m going to marry a doctor! You
can’t play for shit! Take all the
money, Mick!

Both laugh hysterically.

MICK
Next time don’t hit me on my right
arm. Coulda screwed up my stroke!

THE END

I hope everyone enjoyed the story as much as my daughter Catherine and I did writing it. It's fiction of course, but it was based on real-life adventures, and real people who we tweaked a litlle to avoid the libel suits. Catherine apologizes to anyone who we may have offended. As far as me apologizing also --- sorry, it'll never happen.