this.”
“The guy doesn’t see him?”
“Never suspects a thing. So Lovejoy puts it on him, shows his tape to the cops. They pick up Roxy, there’s a court hearing and what you suppose he gets? His license taken away again, this time for a year. Lovejoy is right back where he started only worse. He gets sued by Roxy for annoying him, invading his privacy, different other legal shit and the court decides in favor of Roxy. Lovejoy has to pay him a hundred thousand in damages. Coming out of court his sister is calling him a fool, saying now you
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have to sell your business and you got nothing. That’s where I ended off.” Catlett picked up the script. “With, yeah, fifteen pages to go.”
Chili said, “You don’t know how it ends? Take a look.”
“I don’t cheat, look at the end when I read something. But it’s good, huh? What would you do,” Catlett said, “you were Lovejoy?”
“I know guys,” Chili said, “would cut Roxy in half with a chain saw
“Yeah, but what would you do?”
“I’d have to think about it.”
“I’d shoot the man in the head,” Catlett said. “Set him up and do it.”
“You like to think you would,” Chili said. “Take a look, find out.” Chili reached over, picked up one of the red- covered scripts from the desk and opened it. “What page you on?”
Catlett was looking at his script. “Ninety-two. They come out of the courthouse, his sister’s on his ass. Then the brother-in-law, Stanley, gets on him.”
Chili found the page, began to read:
EXT. COURTHOUSE – DAY
ANGLE ON Lovejoy’s van pulling up in front. Ilona gets out, her expression distraught as she looks up and sees:
REVERSE – ILONA’SPOV
Lovejoy and Helen coming out of the courthouse followed closely by Stanley. Helen is already speaking as they pause at the top of the stairs.
ANGLE ON LOVEJOY, HELEN AND STANLEY
Lovejoy sees Ilona, a wistful smile touches his face.
HELEN You’re so smart, aren’t you? Now you have nothing, and you brought it all on yourself.
STANLEY If you’re thinking of coming to us for help, forget it.
Lovejoy turns to Stanley with a level gaze.
LOVEJOY I wouldn’t dream of it, Stanley. Besides, you both have your own problems.
STANLEY (scowling) What’re you talking about?
LOVEJOY
Being married to each other. (starts down the stairs)
Have a nice day.
ANGLE ON ILONA, WATCHING
As Lovejoy approaches and we hear Stanley CALL after him.
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STANLEY (O.S.) No more Sunday dinner at our house, Roger!
Lovejoy gives Ilona a wry grin.
LOVEJOY At least some good has come of this.
They get in the van and drive off.
Chili looked at Catlett turning pages, skimming through the script. “I think when Stanley opens his mouth Lovejoy oughta pop him and walk away, not say a fuckin word.”
“That’s ’cause you don’t know the man,” Catlett said, turning another page. “Next, you see him alone in his flower shop watering some plants, thinking what he should do. The man likes working here and now he’s gonna lose it. Next, you see him in the van again, going by Roxy’s place.”
Chili turned pages to catch up, came to a scene, Roxy—it looked like Roxy was having a party.
“Inside the office there,” Catlett said, “Roxy’s celebrating his putting it to Lovejoy, having drinks with his friends . . . Now you see Lovejoy in the van parked across the street, waiting, but we don’t know what for. Looking like he’s doing some more thinking . . . Back to Roxy, he’s getting drunk, say he wants everybody to come out to his place on the lake . . . Now Lovejoy is listening to symphony music on the radio, still in the van . . . Roxy, inside the office, is now getting ugly, has a fight with the woman wants to take him home.”
Chili turned some more pages. “What’s I-N-T?” “Interior,” Catlett said. “Inside. Roxy goes out . . .” “What’s P-O-V?” “Point of view. Lovejoy’s P-O-V, like he’s seeing
it when Roxy comes out and gets in his Cadillac. Drives off—now we looking at the Cadillac through Lovejoy’s windshield, following him.”
Both Chili and Catlett turned a page. “He’s got the video camera with him,” Chili said.
“He’s gonna get Roxy driving again.” “That’s what he’s doing,” Catlett said. “Roxy spots him.” “I could see that coming.” “He makes a sudden U-turn.” For several moments they both read in silence. “I knew it,” Catlett said. “He’s on Lovejoy’s ass
now.” Chili kept quiet, reading the scene:
EXT. CITY STREETS – NIGHT
ANGLES ON the Cadillac chasing the van through traffic, squealing around corners, narrowly missing cars at intersections, the Cadillac, sideswiping a parked car.
INTERCUT
Roxy at the wheel of the Cadillac, recklessly determined.
Lovejoy in the van, glancing at mirror apprehensively.
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EXT. INTERSECTION – NIGHT
Quiet, little traffic, then none. Until suddenly the van comes around the corner and ducks into an alley. We SEE the rear lights go off. Now the Cadillac takes the corner and flies past the alley. After SEVERAL BEATS the van backs out, proceeds at a normal pace.
EXT. LOVEJOY’S FLOWER SHOP – NIGHT
The van arrives and parks at the curb across the street. Lovejoy gets out slowly, exhausted. As he starts across the street:
HEADLIGHTS POP ON
down the block. We hear an engine ROAR. And now a car, the Cadillac, is hurtling toward Lovejoy in the middle of the street, frozen in the highbeam of the headlights,
Catlett said, “Hmmmm,” sitting back, finished. Chili said, “Wait,” still reading, “don’t say noth
ing.” He was on the second to last page of the script.
INTERCUT
Roxy hunched over the steering wheel, wild- eyed. Roxy’s POV – to see Lovejoy through windshield.
CLOSE ON Lovejoy standing in the street.
REVERSE – Lovejoy’s POV–car hurtling toward him.
Roxy’s POV as Lovejoy suddenly bolts for the flower shop. EXT. FLOWER SHOP – NIGHT AN ANGLE – on the Cadillac swerving after
Lovejoy, who dives out of the way just in time. INT. CADILLAC – CLOSE ON ROXY His look of horror as he sees: THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD The plate glass front of the flower shop sudden
ly in front of him. INT. FLOWER SHOP (SLOW-MOTION SEQ.) – NIGHT The Cadillac crashes through the plate glass,
plows across the store interior to smash into the refrigerated showcase and come to a dead stop. INT.
