Saturday, May 18, 2013

Blue.

Here is a deleted scene from the original screenplay, "Jesse Darden and His Perfect Forty-Six."

EXT. HOTEL POOL - NIGHT

Maileen Williams is sitting on the edge of the pool by herself with her feet in the water as she reads something on her phone. Jesse comes out.

MAILEEN
(nervous)
Oh. Jesse Darden. Hello.

JESSE
Hi.

MAILEEN
I was the moderator at the--

JESSE
I know who you are, Maileen Williams.

Maileen smiles.

MAILEEN
I know the pool's closed right now, but this is the only time I like to be in the water.

JESSE
Me too.

Jesse sits next to her at the corner of the pool so they're facing each other. He dips his feet in.

MAILEEN
Sorry about that question from the audience.

JESSE
It wasn't your fault.

MAILEEN
It was. If I'd set the proper tone for that panel, the audience would be afraid to ask questions like that. Sometimes I think I inspire people to just walk all over me.

JESSE
No. You're a strong, intelligent woman. I can see that. and I was the smartest person in that building, so I should know.

MAILEEN
But they don't know.

JESSE
They don't matter.
(beat)
When I was in school, there was a speech contest. I could've won, but I wanted favor with the popular kids, so I dumbed down the speech and filled it with bad jokes. They laughed, but they didn't matter. My speech is what mattered, and I wasted it. From then on, I never worried about...
(with venom)
... them.

Jesse looks deep into Maileen's eyes.

JESSE
And neither should you.

Maileen blushes and looks back down at her phone.

JESSE
What are you reading?

Maileen sheepishly shows Jesse her phone. It's the Twitter account of Jesse Darden. His latest tweet is: "My hotel room is really nice."

JESSE
You have lovely hands.

MAILEEN
I hate my hands. They look like claws when I'm eating.

JESSE
My ex had a crooked toe and a chipped tooth. They were my favorite things about her. Her beautiful imperfections.

MAILEEN
You loved all her flaws?

Jesse thinks.

JESSE
No, not all of them.

Maileen gazes at Jesse. She wishes she had the courage to make a move, but she doesn't. Not yet.

JESSE
I should go.

Jesse gets up and goes to head back inside.

MAILEEN
(still nervous)
Goodnight Jesse Darden.

JESSE
You can just call me Jesse.

MAILEEN
Goodnight Jesse.

JESSE
Goodnight Maileen Williams.

Maileen watches as Jesse walks back into the hotel, leaving sloppy wet footprints in his wake.

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