Moneybags

PAIGE, topless in a black t-bar, leaning over MONEYBAGS in a very 80s Glamour Shot slow-mo. We pan up from her legs to ogle her heaving bosom, continuing up to reveal her face contorted in anger. She punches him in the face again.

The entire club is watching – there is no music, but the lights are still club-esque. The BOUNCER goes to stop her. The MANGER holds out his arm.

MANAGER: Give her a minute.

PAIGE continues to pummel MONEYBAGS outside of the Private Dance Area. One girl is onstage, leaning on the stair railing. Some girls are at the bar, gaping; the SUPPORTING DANCERS are in the dressing room.

Finally, PAIGE moves to choke MONEYBAGS, arms/ hands covered, moderately, in rivulets of his blood. When he starts to turn blue, the MANAGER and the BOUNCER finally step in and pull her from him.

MANAGER (Genuinely concerned): Paige, sweetie, what happened?

The BOUNCER looks at PAIGE, who is seething with anger, knowingly.

PAIGE: (feral screech) HE FOLLOWED ME HOME!!

The final word echoes as we flashback to:

TXT: SIX MONTHS EARLIER

PAIGE (V.O.): I had been working at the same building since I was 20-years-old. Four years is an Eternity in Strip Club Time… in four years, you can master the fucking pole – so, I did.

PAIGE is doing pole tricks – dancers, customers, and bar staff are fascinated.

PAIGE (con't): Of course, I wasn’t the only one…

BUNNY, GRACE, and GISELE are all dancing alone onstage:

PAIGE (con't): We were the Old School ones, now. We still remembered Sapphires. Gisele still remembered Tuxedos. We had all made a promise to each other – no matter how seedy the other girls got, we were doing the world a favor by offering a Higher Class of experience.

COWBOY (On the Mic – FLASHBACK): No touching the boobs, the booty, or the beaver –

ERIC (On the Mic – FLASHBACK): No licking, no sucking, no kissing, no biting –

RICHARD (On the Mic – FLASHBACK): Keep your tongues in your mouths, you dirty bastards!

SFX: Drunken Cheering, Laughing

PAIGE (V.O.): So, I went online and I bought this business course – the Super Stripper School. It taught you how to classify each customer you interacted with, how to know how long to make small talk, how to identify your strengths and use them… you could say I was a bit of a book worm; that’s kind of why I took the name Paige. Everything I knew about Seduction, before I had to do it for a living, I learned from reading discount self-help books from the Barnes and Noble.

You know what they say about ‘Success’…

PAIGE gets offstage, smiling, topless – there are very few customers on the wall today. She smiles and sits next to MONEYBAGS, who is wearing sweatpants, a polo, and dirty tennis shoes. He has a sickly David Lynch look about him.

PAIGE: Hey!

MONEYBAGS: Hello.

PAIGE: Do you mind if I sit here?

MONEYBAGS: Not at all. You’re really good up there.

PAIGE: Thank you!

MONEYBAGS: Can I buy you a drink?

PAIGE: Sure.

MONEYBAGS stops the COCKTAIL WAITRESS as she walks past.

PAIGE (con't): Whiskey sour.

MONEYBAGS: And I’ll have a bottle of beer.

COCKTAIL WAITRESS exits.

MONEYBAGS (con't): So, how much for a dance?

PAIGE re-crosses her legs and straightens up, turning her attention towards him.

PAIGE (V.O.): (Matter-of-Factly, Almost Bored) He’s a Green.

PAIGE: Well that depends. Out here, they can go from basic two dollar, the standard three dollar, or the premium five dollar table dance. They’re pretty much a preview of the Private Dance.

PAIGE (V.O.): Gotta get that upsale.

COCKTAIL WAITRESS brings the drinks.

MONEYBAGS: And what’s the Private Dance go for?

MONEYBAGS pays and starts drinking his beer while PAIGE explains.

PAIGE: It goes by song. One song is 25, or 5 for 100…

PAIGE (V.O.): UPSELL!!

PAIGE: Or an hour for 250.

MONEYBAGS: Well, what if I wanted multiple hours – would your Boss be willing to work something out? A discount?

PAIGE: I can ask – I mean, I don’t want to insult the other girls… And just so you know, you’re paying for my time, not to break the rules. There are plenty of other girls here who would be more than happy to do that for you – I’m not one of them.

MONEYBAGS: I don’t want them – I want you.

CUT TO:

MANAGER: Yes. Do it.

CUT TO:

PAIGE: He’ll knock it down to 200 an hour.

Cash is handed over - $1000 in 100s – CUT TO Private Room. MONEYBAGS sits as PAIGE sets down her purse.

PAIGE (con't): I was serious about the not breaking the rules thing. Just because you handed over a stack of cash doesn’t change anything.

MONEYBAGS: That’s fine. Can you hold me?

PAIGE: Yeah, of course.

PAIGE (V.O.): We were back there for five hours. He complained the whole time while I rubbed the back of his neck and let him bury his face in my tits every once in a while. Easiest grand I ever made.

CUT TO Dressing Room

PAIGE: …and the best part? I’m going over to this musician friend’s house and I’m gonna have a threeway with him and another chick. This is it – I can die happy tomorrow.

HOLLY: Wait – is it Havoc?

PAIGE: Yeah.

HOLLY and PAIGE grin at each other.

HOLLY: You’re buying the condoms and we’re totally wearing our schoolgirl outfits.

INSERT THREEWAY SCENE HERE

PAIGE (V.O.): I was on top of the world – the man adored me, showered me with gifts and money, whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. As a result, I realized my confidence had skyrocketed, along with a bangin’ body and a mind that now only had to focus on how perky my nipples were once a week. My grades went back up, I was dating the dream guy I could never get in high school… then, one night…

The lights in the Club are all on, the girls are dressed and hauling their bags upstairs, tipping out, saying goodbye, talking to the Elite, lingering Whales. PAIGE tips the MANAGER, tips the BOUNCER, and is walked out while MONEYBAGS finishes his beer.

PICKUP TRUCK follows PAIGE for a while, she takes several turns and it stops following her, to her relief.

PAIGE is home – she enters. FIELDY is looking in the fridge.

PAIGE: Hey kiddo!

FIELDY: Hey “Sis” – making those dolla dolla bills, huh?

PAIGE: Of course, someone’s got to – you’re only allowed to detassel, young man, and it is not the detasslin’ season.

FIELDY: Har-har. Are you okay?

PAIGE: Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. Hey… I want you to have this. You’re old enough, you should have one.

PAIGE gives FIELDY a small knife from her purse.

PAIGE (con't): Now, don’t, like, take it to school or anything, but if someone comes to the door at a weird time and you don’t know who it is, or whatever, just make it a point to have it on you. Okay?

FIELDY: I promise, I won’t go on a stabbing spree.

PAIGE: I know you wouldn’t, or else I wouldn’t have given it to you. It’s just… you know, sometimes, what I do for a living isn’t exactly safe, and I just wanna make sure-

FIELDY: Look. We’re fine. Okay?

PAIGE: Okay.

FIELDY and PAIGE hug – best siblings ever.

PAIGE (V.O.): I moved shortly after, seeing as how I actually wanted to have sex with my boyfriend in my own house and I could afford to do so. Life was still pretty good.

In the club: Table by the DJ booth.

PAIGE: What did I tell you?

MONEYBAGS: Never outside the club… but, I mean-

PAIGE: Why should I meet your mother? This is a BUSINESS arrangement – I make that very clear.

MONEYBAGS: I know – please don’t be mad!

MONEYBAGS pulls a 50 out of his wallet and places it on the table.

MONEYBAGS (con't): I’m sorry!

100 dollars

MONEYBAGS (con't): I’m sorry!

50 dollars

MONEYBAGS (con't): I’m sorry!

PAIGE smiles, and collects the money.

PAIGE: That’s alright, just don’t do it again. Now, what’s this about getting an injunction on your whole family?

MONEYBAGS: They tried to take mother out of the city!

PAIGE: (Unaffected) Ah.

MONEYBAGS: My lawyer says he’ll give me a discount! (laughs) He’s almost a Judge – so, I guess you could say I have a Judge in my back pocket. Say, when was the last time you paid your taxes? (laughs)

PAIGE: I don’t know, where are you getting all this money to pay me from?

MONEYBAGS stops laughing.

MONEYBAGS: I need another beer.

MONEYBAGS hands PAIGE another 50.

MONEYBAGS (con't): Don’t talk to anyone.

PAIGE: I won’t talk to any customers, out of respect, but I’m gonna talk to the people I work with. (beat) Quit pouting.

PAIGE goes to the bar and orders the drinks. The BOUNCER comes over.

BOUNCER: Hey, just real quick, I think I should tell you something.

PAIGE: What’s up?

BOUNCER: Well, you know how dude was super drunk last week?

PAIGE: Yeah?

BOUNCER: He told me he hired a Private Investigator to follow you – bragged about it.

PAIGE gets flashbacks of the red pickup truck. CUT TO Paige’s Bedroom – PAIGE and JAMES are smoking out of the bong.

PAIGE: I know exactly the first night he had me followed, too.

JAMES looks concerned.

JAMES: My grandpa’s putting in a new floor – want me to…? Is he dangerous?

PAIGE: No, it’s not like that; he’s just one of those rich fucks who thinks if he throws enough money at someone, they’ll end up having no boundaries.

FLASHBACK TO: In the Club

MONEYBAGS: It’s been MONTHS… just sit on my lap for five seconds.

LOLA (V.O.): If you have to touch a customer, you’re not doing your job right.

PAIGE sits across MONEYBAGS’ lap.

LOLA (V.O. con't): Six inches is the length of a dollar bill.

MONEYBAGS rocks his pelvis against PAIGE’S hip. She stands up.

PAIGE: Nope. Sorry. Not happening. Veto. There are plenty of other girls here who do that for much cheaper-

FLASHFORWARD TO: Bedroom

JAMES: Whatever you decide, I’m sure it’s for the best.

FLASHFORWARD TO: The Bar

PAIGE is doing shots of Patron with BUNNY and GRACE.

BUNNY: So, what’s up? I thought you weren’t allowed to talk to us.

GRACE indicates MONEYBAGS

GRACE: Yeah.

PAIGE: I’m not – but he broke a bigger rule and I’m currently punishing him. (to the BARTENDER) Two more!

GRACE: Sweetie, how many have you had?

PAIGE: Three.

BUNNY: You might wanna slow down, whiskey girl.

PAIGE: Trust me – I know what I’m doing.

CUT TO: The Dressing Room

PAIGE'S arms are covered in rivulets of blood, seething, escorted by the BOUNCER. The girls are used to staff, so they aren’t concerned with him, just with PAIGE.

BUNNY: Oh My God, Sweetie, what happened?

GRACE: What did that fucker do?

PAIGE: Don’t worry – I took care of it.

BUNNY: What did you do?

CUT TO: Flashback, Private Room

PAIGE is drunk and enraged, as they enter the private room.

PAIGE: I have to ask you a question, and I want you to be honest with me. Have you ever paid someone to find out where I live?

MONEYBAGS: Sweetpea –

PAIGE: It’s a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question – knowing I want nothing to do with you outside of these walls, did you or did you not try to use your money to get away with breaking a rule?

MONEYBAGS: Yes, but –

PAIGE: 'But' nothing!!

PAIGE throws her purse – it knocks over his bag; a pair of sunglasses, a wig, and a hunter’s hat fall out.

FLASHBACK: PAIGE is driving home to her new place with JAMES – a man in a trench coat, wig, sunglasses, and a hunter’s hat is walking down the street across from her house.

JAMES: I mean, I know it’s only February, but that’s kinda much.

PAIGE: Right?

FLASHFORWARD: PAIGE leaves the booth – the song switches to the 80s Glam in the beginning. MONEYBAGS follows.

MONEYBAGS: Sweetpea, please – I –

PAIGE looks for the BOUNCER – he’s at the door checking IDs, rushing, checking back on PAIGE and MB.

PAIGE: DON’T FUCKING CALL ME THAT!!!

V.O./ FLASHBACKS OVERLAYING: MONEYBAGS laughing, the items peeking out of his bag, his humping her hip, the pickup truck, hugging her little brother.

PAIGE finally snaps and sucker punches MONEYBAGS as we –

FLASHFORWARD to the Dressing Room. GRACE and BUNNY are using baby wipes to clean off PAIGE’S hands. The MANAGER comes downstairs.

MANAGER: (to PAIGE) He wants to talk to you.

CUT TO: The Manager’s Office

MANAGER (V.O.): Don’t say anything.

PAIGE is sitting across from MONEYBAGS, glaring.

MONEYBAGS: Now, I don’t want you to go to jail, just talk to me.

PAIGE stays silent.

MONEYBAGS (con't): Come on – talk to me! Say something!!

Maintaining eye contact, PAIGE licks a rivulet of his blood from her arm. All three men – the MANAGER, the DISTRICT MANAGER, and MONEYBAGS all look visibly shaken.

PAIGE (V.O.):

We were doing the world a favor.

BLACK