BOOKIE

by

Michael Yusko

(Blue Draft, January 31, 2012)

Michael Yusko 5436 Constance st. New Orleans, LA, 70115 (518) 376-7008

FADE IN FLASH TO... Title - New York City Late 2003 The title fades out and then... Title - Vince INT. VINCES APARTMENT - NIGHT Sitting in a lazy boy recliner wide-eyed and anxious is the Vince. His eyes are glued to the TV, which is broadcasting some obscure harness track. Vince is wearing a white, coffeestained robe and pulling from a bowl of wheaties, which sits on a TV dinner stand to his left. VINCE Yeah Baby. Come on with this two! Get second. Davis you hack whip that motherfucker! On the TV the five horse has a lead of five lengths as they come down the stretch and approach the wire. The two horse is closing for second. VINCE Ive got this sonofabitch. Suddenly, the five horse goes on a break and pulls up, as the entire field rushes by him. Vince looks on with a wheatie hanging from his chin in disbelief. VINCE No. What? No. No. No. NOOOO! Vince gets up and head butts his television set. The phone rings. VINCE What! Hold on. Vince searches through the papers which cover him like a blanket. He pauses, takes a spoonful of cereal, swallows, looks at the TV and spits on it. He finds what hes looking for and gets back on the phone. Sixers are six. One seventy and a half. Four. Thirteen and a half. What! Who! Furman? Where do you come up with these games Dicky? (MORE)

2. VINCE (cont'd) What are you fucking the coaches daughter? No? Then don't be an asshole come on. The who? Sharks? Sharks who? UNLV? What you're betting hockey now? Christ hold on. Vince picks up a paper to his left and skims over it. He can't seem to find what he's looking for so he makes up a line. VINCE Dicky. Yeah ahh the sharks are nine. Yeah nine. Nine goals? Yeah nine goals. I dont know if thats high. I dont bet hockey. Why not? Because Im not a gambleholic like you. Well I dont know what to tell you? I called the office for the lines and this is what they gave me. Someone must have dropped a load on the fucking sharks. Spreads move Dicky! Youll pass? Good idea. So come on hurry up. What do you want? Hold on. Vince composes himself and fields another call. VINCE(CONTD) Hello! Yeah what's up. Sixers are five. Two hundred on the sixers minus five. VINCE(CONTD) Orlandos two and a half. Two hundred Orlando plus two and a half. Dallas is thirteen. Two hundred Dallas minus thirteen. Lakers are four and a half. A dime on Lakers. Vince smirks and bobs his head as he pencils in the bet. VINCE(CONTD) OK So you got the Sixers, Magic, and Dallas at five, two and a half, and thirteen for two and the Lakers minus four and a half for a dime. Good? Good. You got it. Vince flashes back to Dicky.

3. VINCE(CONTD) Dicky! Alright what do you want? Right. Right. OK Sixers, the over, and Dallas. Two hundred each! No. Absolutely not. Youve got a hundred a game limit. I dont want you pawning your laptop again. Suddenly Vince stands up and kicks the television over and yells at it once more. Fuck you horse! What? Oh Nothing. My horse just had heart attack ten yards from the wire. Yeah I got crushed. Im nauseous. Great. Later. Hey Dickie you working tonight? I might stop by. You got to take care of me though. Dont bang me out or Ill bang you out. Shwee wee. Vince bobs his head as he mutters Shwee wee. He does this often to himself as if he has turrets. He checks his watch, realizing the time. He picks up his notebook and begins going over the numbers. He does a little math and totals up the numbers. He finishes, picks up his phone, and makes a call. He collects himself and dials. VINCE Hey what's up? It's Vince. Alright we got a a dime on the Sixers, three hundred Sixers over, six hundred Dallas, two hundred on the Magic, two hundred Heat, a nickel Heat over. Vince pauses when he comes to the Lakers-Knicks game. Next to the game in his notebook he has circled "$2000" Lakers. VINCE And two dimes on the Knicks. Right Knicks. Yeah a lot of Knick money tonight. Really? You're getting all Lakers? Yeah well I got a lot of sucker Knick fans playing with me so. Yeah. Alright that's it. Yeah no college. People are scared. It's too early in the season. Right. Alright. Later. Vince hangs up the phone. He is now standing in the middle the room, looking out on the city skyline, pensive for a moment with his hand on his dick.

4. INT. VINCE'S BATHROOM - NIGHT.

A single cigarette rests on the upperdeck of the toilet bowl. Vince grabs the cigarette, sits on the toilet, and lights it. He picks up a book, Chicken Soup for the Gambling Soul, and starts thumbing through it. VINCE (V.O.) Honestly, growing up I never aspired to be Eric Stolzt in Pulp Fiction. But let's face it. The economy's just not what it used to be. You cant have morals anymore if want to be able to get a sanwich every now and then. This broad I know, sweetheart that she is, gave me this book. Vince is holding Chicken Soup for the Gambling Soul. She picked it up from some guy she met at one of those fat camps. Theres some good stuff in here but its not gonna fucking help but. Vince wipes his ass and heads to the bedroom. Vince goes into his closet and pulls back a rack of shirts to reveal his old "33" Pat Ewing jersey. VINCE(CONTD) I went to college. I took out loans. I havent paid shit back. God I hate this New Age garbage (quickly changing his strain of thought.) A friend of mine, a fucking guy, actually quit his job last week to train to be a Yoga instructor. Christ people are so fucking soft. You think I'm happy? Honestly how do you think I'm feeling in the morning? But do I complain? No. Sure I could lose a few pounds -- but do I drop out of life to go off to a fat camp? NO! Sure Im a ball of stress and have the posture of a fucking orangutang but do I spend all day playing twister? No. You deal with it. You move forward. You toughen up. And whatever you do, you never bet on your favorite team.

5. Vince is standing in the middle of his bedroom with his "33" jersey on and a basketball in his hand. Fuck! VINCE

He kicks the basketball into the closet. VINCE(CONTD) What are you doing Vince? Hah? What the fuck are you doing? How many times must you learn? You want to be a professional. You want to be a player. You bet smart. You use your head. No emotion. Christ. This is all going to end badly. INT. DICKY'S BAR - NIGHT

AMY, Vince's sister, sits at the bar waiting patiently. Her head is in a book as she drags from her cigarette and sips on a glass of red wine. Vince arrives in a rush of manic energy and greets her with a kiss on the forehead. His "33" jersey is not visible under his black turtleneck sweater. VINCE Sorry I'm late Amy. It's OK AMY Sit down. Look at you.

VINCE What's up Dicky? You look great. You too. Everyday.

DICKY You been working out? VINCE Big back day today baby.

Vince starts doing Lat-Pull down motions. VINCE Dicky I'll have a glass of red wine. A Merlot. Montepulciano maybe. Vince hands Dicky his credit card.

6. VINCE Put everything on this please Dicky. AMY Don't be silly. VINCE You're my little sister. drinks. I buy the

AMY I thought we agreed that since Mom and Dad still gave me money We would use it to drink when we're together. VINCE I agreed to that? I must be fucking crazy. AMY You're insane. VINCE And so handsome. Honestly if you were never born and I got to keep all the good looks to myself, do you realize how ridiculous I would be? AMY That doesnt make any sense -- Are you doing coke again? VINCE What? Amy watch your mouth. How dare you! Take that back right now... before I insult someone. Gambling? That's it. AMY VINCE I warned you babe.

Vince grabs a fat man and yells at him. VINCE(CONTD) Hey sir, big fleshy, fat fathead you... you silly man. Youre so adorable..so fat.

7. The fat man reaches for Vince's throat.

EXT. DICKYS BAR - SAME The fat man is hanging off the curve knocked out cold. Vince is taunting the unconscious man, hovering above him counting him out. VINCE 6,5,4,3,2,1. You're out. You know fathead I can throw a baseball 90mph and a football like Brett Favre. Don't you think you should have looked into this before you reached for my throat? HMMM. Yes. Now you understand don't you? Now we all understand don't we? Title -- BASEBALL EXT. BASEBALL FIELD - DAY Vince is on the pitchers mound during a little league game. He throw the ball exceptionally hard and it hits the batter in head. The batter is kinda a big kid and he manages to not fall down. He puts up his arms as if to say, what the fuck and before he can get one word out of his mouth Vince throws his glove to the ground and storms home plate. Title -- FOOTBALL EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD - DAY Vince is playing in a flag football game on what appears to be a clear, crisp, fall Saturday morning. Vince is over center running the show. VINCE Blue forty six, Mikie Piazza sucks dicks. Set. Hut. Hut. Vince drops back to pass and rifles one out into the flat for a modest pick up. BILLY SHARP, a man with noticeably large teeth, is on the sidelines signaling in plays in a three-piece suit. The next play Vince throws a bomb for a touchdown. He raises his hands in the air with a beaming smile on his face.

8. EXT. THE BAR- SAME Vince's sister is smoking a cigarette looking on in disgust. Dicky approaches Vince. DICKY That was an awesome punch. VINCE Think they could here that in Brooklyn? Is his nose broke? DICKY I think so. VINCE (Reaching in his wallet) Here. Give him a hundred. Tell him he choked me first, he's lucky He's getting anything. I'm putting Amy in a cab and heading home. DICKY I wouldn't worry about it. His buddies are a little pissed but I convinced him you were connected so they're dealing with it. As far as you're concerned this never happened. VINCE Alright beautiful. DICKY Who'd you take tonight. VINCE I've got the Lakers for my balls. DICKY I love the Lakers tonight. VINCE I know you do Dicky. DICKY Alright get out of here. VINCE Alright later. Hey Dicky... the Lakers better win or I'm sending Zoltan after you to collect.

9. DICKY VINCE

Oh no. Zoltan.

EXT. MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - SAME Vince gets out of a cab and finds himself in front of the Garden entrance. People are filing in for the game. Vince stares up at the Garden sign, looking pale and anxious. He turns and runs to the nearest trash can to throw up. INT. THE GARDEN - SAME Vince takes his seat with a beer in hand. The players are being introduced. When the introduction ends Vince screams out a "Lets Fucking go". With the Knicks in possession of a 12 and 26 record it's obvious to all of Section C Mezzanine that Vince has his testicles on the Knicks. MONTAGE Clips from a Knicks-Lakers game. Odom dunking and Kobe raining three's. Crawford clanks a jumper here and there and Marbury dribbles off his leg. Vince screaming obsenities at the refs. Vince spilling beer on people. Vince telling a Lakers fan to sit down and shut up. -- At halftime the Lakers are up 20. INT. GARDEN BATHROOM - SAME Vince is sitting on the toilet with his face in his hands. He takes out a bag of coke and does a key hit. He returns to the same position with his head resting in his hands. Suddenly he looks up and the expression on his face has changes from dejection into a somewhat beatific understanding. He pauses, does another key hit, and pulls his pants up.

10. INT. GARDEN TUNNEL - SAME Vince has made his way into the section which envelops itself around the Garden tunnel. His head comes into view peering over the rail and underneath into the tunnel. Kobe and Odom are walking out onto the court nonchalantly joking with each other. Vince checks right and left and then grabs the railing and launches himself down onto the tunnel floor. Kobe and Odom freeze as Vince is now in front of them staring at both of them in momentary shock, like a deer in headlights. Suddenly he makes his move and lunges for Kobe's leg. Odom immediately grabs Vince and attempts to pull him off Kobe who is at this point trying to shake loose and calling for security. KOBE Hey yo security. Crazy motherfucker over here. A couple of security guards are standing about ten feet from each other nearer to court side They are playing fake draw with each other. They hear Kobe and turn and catch the action. They return their pistols to their holsters and run to assist. At this point Vince is trying to break Kobe's leg by leaning into it with all he's got while simultaneously throwing right hooks directly into his knee. VINCE Stop raining three's Kobe and I'll let you go. Vince turns his head to notice the guards coming towards him. He rolls off Kobe's leg, picks himself up, and speeds down the tunnel. He gets outside and runs out into the middle of 7th avenue, waking his hands for a taxi. A taxi and picks him up. INT. BAR - NIGHT Vince orders a drink. VINCE Grey Goose on the rocks. olives. Three

Vince takes his drink and begins watching the game on TV. Not much had changed as the Lakers seem to be in control of what seems to be an insurmountable lead.

11. Vince is handed a glass of vodka which he drinks with one gulp. Vince pulls the olives off the toothpick into his mouth and sticks the toothpick in his head. Vince sips some Vodka. Vince yells for a 3 second call with four toothpicks sticking out of his head. The Knicks rattle off ten unanswered and Vince begins to get fired up. The Knicks are down six. VINCE Is that Bernard King's heart sitting on the bench next to Van Gundy? Jesus Christ come on with these Knicks! Knicks take the ball down and Marbury hits a three pointer cutting the Laker lead to 3. The next position the Knicks steal the ball with a chance to tie it. After a Knicks miss, Odom rebounds and hits Kobe on a breakaway. He dunks it as time expires to put the Lakers up 5 as Vince screams. You could hear a pin drop in the bar, except for Vince. VINCE Noooooooooooo! You motherfucking, fuck, fuck.. Vince yells himself out. He plops himself down in a bar stool. He is turning white. He takes two fingers and checks his pulse. He unbuttons his shirt and calls to the bartender. VINCE Excuse me bartender. Do you think you can call an ambulance? I think I am having the big one. EXT. MANHATTAN GENERAL - NIGHT Vince walks out of the hospital. He is accompanied by one of the girls from the bar. VINCE That was really sweet of you to ride with me in the ambulance. I really think your presence might have prevented the heart attack. Especially that thing (MORE)

12. VINCE (cont'd) you did with your hands while the doctor was checking the X-rays. GIRL Oh you would have been fine. VINCE No honestly you're a sweetheart. You have very special hands here. You should really do something with those things. You should be a pianist or a pottist or something. GIRL What's that card in your hand? VINCE Oh this? Nothing. Just something the Doctor gave me. He was a pretty intuitive guy. Vince has a card in his hand with a phone number for Gambler's anonymous on it. VINCE So listen I'm going to honest here. Not only do I have a gambling problem, I also have a girlfriend. Two things I'm sure you don't want to get yourself involved with. Now You've been a hell of a pal tonight but honestly I don't see this going any further. THE GIRL Well. She must be a lucky girl if you're turning me down. I'm pretty hot you know. VINCE Yeah I noticed. THE GIRL Well then, see you around. VINCE (waving finger and laughing) Dont bet on it! Ha, Ha. Christ. (to himself)

13. Vince turns, wipes his brow, looks up, and hails a cab. He opens the door for the cab, then stops and checks his pockets. He pulls out a few loose one dollar bills, waves the cabbie off, and shuts the door. He looks around. The camera pans to a subway portal as Vince walks towards, and down into it defeated. ROLL CREDITS EXT. THE FRENCH ROAST - DAWN Vince arrives at the French Roast, a 24 hour restaurant on 6th ave. Neely, A young women of 25, slender with short brown hair, sits at the bar, reading a book and smoking a cigarette as ambient music fills the room. She is Vince's girlfriend. The place is nearly empty except for the regular riff-raff occupying the only tables. Hey baby. Hey. VINCE NEELY

VINCE We almost out of here? NEELY Yeah sit for a second. Let's talk. Vince waves to the bartender. VINCE Hey Marco my man. How about a little nightcap for the Vince. MARCO Sorry Vince we're done. It's almost six. VINCE Oh come on man nobody's around. Underneath. Down low baby. You can put it on of those paper cups. Come on. For the kids. MARCO For you Vince. You got it. NEELY Marco I think he's done. Vince you could cost Marco his job.

14. VINCE Oh come on like you guys don't do it all the time. Don't make this a personal thing here, a Neely and Vince joint. This is Marco and Vince's baby. You just go back to you're little book there and all the pretty words and let Daddy unwind. NEELY Who are you? VINCE I'm the Prince of Darkness baby. Hamlet's doppelganger. You have to love my ass. NEELY Doppelganger? Doppelganger is a ghost. A double of a living person. Hamlet's a fictional character. You can't be a Doppelganger of a fictional character. What the fuck are you talking about? VINCE There she is! Ms. English! look out! GRE's

NEELY I'm going to go get my things. Beautiful. VINCE

Vince turns to Marco. MARCO Honestly Marco is she fucking anybody here? Are you fucking her? MARCO Here Vince. Drink this. It will help. Marco hands Vince a shot of espresso. Ah fuck. VINCE

15. MONTAGE Vince and Neely walk out of the French Roast. Vince and Neely evading a sleeping Subway teller by using one Metro Card swipe to get on the Subway. Vince passed out on Neely's lap. Vince and Neely brushing their teeth out of the bathtub in a sinkless bathroom. Vince and Neely in bed with Vince hogging the blankets. INT. BEDROOM - MORNING

Neely staring with contempt at Vince, who is still asleep. The clock reads 11:57. INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Neely in the kitchen staring in disgust at a giant mound of dishes. Neely sits down and takes out an old-fashioned cigarette case. She opens it and pulls out a little bag a weed and a bowl. She packs the bowl and takes a hit. We see the mound of dishes, greasy pots on the stove, and cat shit falling like vines from the litter box. Neely lights up a cigarette, takes a drag, then sets it in an ashtray as she stands up, rolls up her sleeves, and reluctantly gets to work. MONTAGE Dishes being scrubbed. The stove being wiped down. Drags of a cigarette. Cat shit being scooped and fresh litter being laid down. Floors being swept. Vince snoring.

16. Neely sits back down and pensively smokes another cigarette while she stares off into the bedroom. After a few moments she gets up then... INT. BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER

Neely is once again staring contemptuously at Vince as he yawns and picks his nose. The clock reads 12:37. She grabs a trumpet, which sits in the corner of the room, out of it's case. She brings the trumpet to her mouth and begins to play Call to Post, the horse racing tune that they play before the races. Vince jumps up in shock and quickly covers his ears. Neely finishes the tune then.... NEELY Get the fuck up Vince. It's post time. You wouldn't want to miss the first race. Neely leaves the room as Vince attempts to gather himself. He looks over to the dresser and sees a glass of water. He picks it up and dumps it on his head. INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER Neely is sitting back down in the Kitchen smoking. Vince walks and begins to try to talk his way out of the shit. VINCE Well morning to you too baby. Oh look wow you did the dishes and the stove and the cat shit. You didn't have to do that honey. I was going to take care of all that myself baby. NEELY When? After the Daily Double? VINCE I don't bet daily doubles baby. Just $100 exacta boxes. NEELY Well maybe if you could hit one of these $100 exacta boxes once in a while, instead of continuously squandering all of our money, I wouldn't be so concerned. But the reality of it is --this is all bullshit!

17. VINCE Come on I'm kidding. I told you I'm done. There's going To be a Vince around here. I'm gonna start bringing home the Bacon baby. No more gambling. Just honest, awful work. NEELY Well I need to start seeing some results. You say this repeatedly But all I seem to find in your pockets these days is losing OTB tickets. VINCE You need to start letting me do the laundry once in a while. NEELY I've been waiting for you to step up Vince, but after a month I can't tell the difference between the laundry and the litter box and something has to be done. VINCE Right ahh, I'm gonna go hit Angelo's and try to get some of this screenplay done. NEELY Oh right the screenplay. I nearly forgot. So when am I gonna get Read this screenplay you've been talking about for the past three Years? VINCE When it's ready. When it's done. Some works have to be read As a whole so you can appreciate the full force of their ideas. NEELY It's a fucking screenplay Vince, not Don Quixote. VINCE Right. Well like I said I'm gonna go do my thing. Have fun. NEELY

18. Vince puts on his coat, grabs his laptop, and exits. INT. ANGELO'S - DAY

Vince enters the Angelo's, an old-school Italian coffee shop. The place wreaks of mafia, with a full table of Italians playing cards in the back room, which is visible through a half open door. The girl in charge of the place is Sarah, a young girl, not yet out of high school. She is cute and perky, but noticeably conscious of the oppressive environment. Its obvious that she and Vince know each other. SARAH Sarah what's up sweetie. Hey let me have a cappuccino, double, and one those canoli's over there. SARAH Sure Vince. VINCE And hey Sarah. I need a little favor. Can I leave this laptop with you for the Day? What time you get off five? six? Nine. SARAH

VINCE Right. Wow that's sucks! Slave wages? SARAH Six bucks an hour. They use any tips I make for antes. Bastards. VINCE

SARAH If I quite they'll kill my dog. Ouch. VINCE

SARAH They paid for my implants though. VINCE Well hey there you go. Hell of a job they did there.

19. SARAH

Thanks.

VINCE Anyway so yeah I'll be back before the end of your shift. You just keep that safe where nobody can see it and I'll make it worth your while when I get back. SARAH Well when I get off I have to fuck that big hairy guy over there. She motions to the back room where you can see the big hairy guy puffing on a cigar and looking absolutely disgusting. Vince, confused, checks out the guy. Hes repulsed. VINCE Right. Well we'll talk later. Enjoy your day. INT. CIGAR SHOP - DAY

Vince approaches the counter. VINCE You got today's Racing Form back there? The counter guy reaches behind him and grabs The Daily Racing Form. He hands it to Vince. Vince drops a $5 bill on the counter and walks outside. Vince walks out into the middle of the street and stops. He holds The Form in from of him and observes it like it was a Picasso. He tears open the plastic, pulls the fresh newspaper up to his nose, and sniffs it like it was a pair of Giselle's panties. He exhales as we pull back to reveal a traffic jam with truckdrivers honking their horns and calling him a fucking cocksucker. INT. OTB - DAY

Vince is at the OTB teller's window depositing money into his phone account. He counts out ten one hundred dollar bills and slides them to the teller. The teller slides him his receipt.

20. INT. SONOFABITCH'S BAR - DAY

Vince walks in and aggressively belly's up to the bar and lays out the Racing Form. VINCE Bennie my man. Vince. BEN How's the life?

VINCE Big mound of shit. Vince needs a big day. Let's start with a couple chili dogs and a bloody. BEN You got it. Vince's cell phone rings. VINCE Hello. Yeah Johnny I'm at Sonavabitch's. Yeah meet me here. We're going to the track. What? Yeah we'll watch a couple races here but this place has been nothing but bad luck for me lately. I need a change of scenery. Besides I want to give these Little jockeys kisses today when they come in for me at 30-1. What? Nevermind just get over here. What? I gotta go. I've got another call. Vince switches over. VINCE(CONT) Ma. Yeah. How am I? Ahh good and you? Beautiful look ma I can't talk now. What? She's great. She loves me almost As much as you do. The bartender sets Vince up with his chili dog and his bloody. Thanks Ben. What? Whos Ben? Ben's my waiter. I'm having lunch mom and Ben just handed me a salad. No dressing. And a Giant Tofu dog... Nothing mom. The ring? No I haven't given it to her yet. (MORE)

21. VINCE(CONT) (cont'd) Yeah I know it's gorgeous. Grandpa had great taste. Vince takes a diamond engagement ring out of his pocket and plays with it a little before slipping it on his pinky. VINCE(CONTD) I don't know. I think I may just have to keep it. It just looks So good on my me. I'm kidding Mom. Listen I have to go. My lettuce is getting warm and thms tofu is expanding. Nothing Mom. Ok love you too. Bye. Vince sets the phone on the bar and starts inhaling chilidogs. His bites are tenacious, or repulsive depending on the observer. Johnny walks in and sits down next to Vince. Johnny is a photo and video guy. He is somewhat of a sociopath and prett much fucks with everyone he comes across. He has a camera around his neck and is dressed somewhat like a hipster, but in a meta kinda way. JOHNNY God I hate this place. Why do we always have to come here? VINCE The tracks are here. Come on relax. Have a chili dog. JOHNNY I ate. Leeny know you're here? VINCE If Leeny knew I was here she'd fuck me up. She doesn't like it when I gamble. JOHNNY She doesn't like it when you lose. VINCE I know. I try to tell her that I am a great gambler, I just have bad luck is all... and when my luck turns the corner well be golden. She doesn't buy it. JOHNNY No? What a fucking idiot she is. So who do you have in this race?

22. VINCE I haven't bet yet. Vince finishes his last chili dog and starts looking over the Racing Form. VINCE Let's see. I like the 2 a little. The 4's not bad. The 7 can win. I think I'll bet the 9. He looks like he's got no shot in hell. JOHNNY Nice to see youre really trusting your instincts these days. Christ what despair. Vince picks up his phone and speed dials OTB. Yeah 7212. Fyodor. Balance $1000... beautiful. Lets try to make it 10. Aqueduct 3rd... give me a $20 exacta part wheel with the 9 over the 247 and bring it back for $10. And let me have $100 to win on the 9. That'll do. And you have a nice day Sweetie. I hope we talk again later. OK Bye. JOHNNY The 9 is 27 to 1. If you don't mind me asking what the fuck are you doing Vince? What's with this randomness... this "existential handicapping" shit. VINCE Aqueduct's a fucked up track. I'm telling you this 9 horse is gonna light up the board. And besides, he's grey. Vince and Johnny look up at the screen where the horses are loading into the gate. The 9 horse loads. He is grey. JOHNNY Great. "Chick handicapping". get it. I

23. VINCE Hey nothing else has been working. I've been studying that form like an Ivy league suicide case and I do nothing but lose and contemplate suicide. Christ. JOHNNY

The race starts and the 9 shoots to the lead. After the first couple of furlongs he's in front by 5 lengths and looks more like Secretariat than a $20,000 claimer. VINCE What the fuck? Vince is flipping through the form. VINCE(CONTD) The lead. This horse has never been in the lead in his life. JOHNNY Holy fuck Vince maybe he's juiced? VINCE Maybe Balco got to him? As they round the far turn the other horses are beginning to gain with the 2, 4, and 7 seeming like his main rivals. He's still in the lead by 2 lengths. VINCE Come on with this 9. What's this fuckers name? Who's on him? Vince looks at the form. VINCE Windbag! What a beautiful name. Jaras riding him? Who the fuck is Jara. Come on Windbag. Don't die on me now. Jara whoever you are whip that fucker. Hit em. Punch him. Choke him. Windbag is still in the lead by about a length as they near the wire with 2 and 4 holding for second and third. There's no other horses in sight. JOHHNY Christ Vince you got this thing.

24. VINCE Come on Windbag you beautiful creature. Johnny Hold me. Hold me Johnny. Don't let go. Johnny and Vince embrace as they jump up and down. Windbag is still clear by a length with the 2 in second as they hit the wire. VINCE Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I'm back baby. I'm fucking back. Johnny has his camera out and is videotaping the whole thing. Vince puts his hand over the camera as if Johnny was paparazzi. INT. SUBWAY - MOMENTS LATER JOHNNY You sure this is such a good idea? VINCE I'm hot baby. It would be a sin to quit. JOHNNY You just hit for $7000. How much more were planning on winning today? VINCE Enough to be able to pay rent for the next few months, hit every Broadway show in town, and take Neely out for a fucking steak at Peter Lugers a couple times a week. All this madness for some steak's. VINCE The best goddamn steak's in Brooklyn. JOHNNY You've got a point. So when does she get the ring? VINCE I don't know. I just can't seem to pull the trigger. The problem is I know she's the girl. (MORE)

25. VINCE (cont'd) And I don't really have any interest in fucking girls that aren't famous -- which is the only reason Im faithful. I also dont want to be one of these guys who ropes a girl into marrying him like these fuckers who knock their girlfriends up when they think theyre going to leave them. Thats just straight up unethical. JOHNNY You know sometimes I really admire you Vince. VINCE Then theres Berlin. Ive always wanted to live that ex-pat life. Like Paris in the 20s or Greenwich village in the 60s. Thats what Berlin is now. Im a romantic at heart Johnny. Fucking Berlin. JOHNNY You move me Vince. Johnny hops across to the other side of the subway and sits next to this girl on the subway. He takes the book she is reading out of her hand and begins making notes in it. He smiles at the girl and she smiles back. Vince and Johnny exit the subway. EXT. AQUEDUCT RACE COURSE - DAY They're at the track.

It's a cold, bleak winter's day at the track. The crowd is sparse at best. Vince and Johnny walk down to rail and belly up. The horses for the next race are galloping past them. Johnny's got a camera around his neck and is snapping photo's at whatever seems to catch his eye. Vince has the racing form in one hand and a vodka tonic in the other. He seems to have something to say to every jockey that passes by him. VINCE Chavez! As long as you don't fall off that goddamn horse there's no way you can lose. So keep that sweet ass in the saddle. OK my man? The Jockey stares at Vince perplexed, shaking his head.

26. VINCE I'm putting every dollar I have on that fucking horse. JOHNNY Vince He's 4-1. How much do you have in your account? VINCE Seven thousand four hundred and thirty four dollars and 40 cents. JOHNNY That's 30 large if you hit! VINCE That horse is a fucking lock. I could ride that horse and win. JOHNNY Maybe you should pull back a little bit. Just bet $5000 on him, you know? Just in case he hits the stretch and starts moonwalking. VINCE Yeah you're right. The horse could hit the stretch with a white glove on its hoof and a flaming mane... Johnny why do you hang out with my anyway? You dont gamble. JOHNNY I find your life more interesting than mine. This whole time Johnny was been filming the crowd and he now turns the camera on Vince. VINCE That makes sense. Well fuck Johnny this horse is locked. He'll win by a football field. I'm making the call. Vince flips open his phone and speed dials OTB. VINCE Yeah hello. 7212. Fyodor. What's that? Yeah right Fyodor. Right. Dostoevsky. Yeah he was the fucking man. Alright so lets go here. Belmont race 5 give me the 1 horse to win for my balance. (MORE)

27. VINCE (cont'd) Right my balance. Everything. The whole shahbang. Seven thousand, four hundred, thirty four dollars and forty cents to win on the 1 horse. Honestly, unless a sniper takes him out or someone flies an airplane into him he can't fucking lose. Do yourself a favor and bet the fuck out of him. Ok Buddy read back. That's it. Beautiful. Yes I accept. Later pal. Johnny has his camera on Vince as he closes up his phone. The realization of what he just did begins to wash over him. He starts to turn pale and suddenly darts to the nearest trash can to throw up. Johnny captures it all. Vince and Johnny are back down at the rail awaiting the race. Vince is guzzling draft beer. JOHNNY You feeling any better? VINCE Better than I felt when I had vomit streaming out of my mouth. JOHNNY (Snapping a photo) The hores looks great Vince. VINCE It looks like a lock right? Vince is gonna be up 30 large in about two minutes. JOHNNY Lets fucking do this! And... THEYRE OFF!. The 1 breaks well on the rail and shoots to the lead. He clears the field by a few lengths. Vince and Johnny are at the rail looking on in suspense. As the horses turn for home Vince's 1 horse is in the lead with the 7 horse, who is mounting a charge on the outside, the only really threat to Vince's $30,000. The 7 horse begins to gobble up ground in the stretch and has drawn alongside the 1 horse. I'm beat. VINCE

JOHNNY No look he's coming back on the rail.

28. The one horse suddenly starts moonwalking as the seven blows by him. He is a clear second with the rest of the field far back. Maybe not. JOHHNY

VINCE Holy living fuck! Vince turns and looks around at the rest of the crowd. Standing amongst them is a kid in what appears to be his high school football jersey holding a football in his right hand. Vince locks in on the football. He chugs the rest of his beer and tosses the cup on the ground. Vince darts over to the kid and rips the football from his hand. KID Hey what the fuck MISTER? Vince pulls his arm back, takes a few steps toward the rail, and fires a rocket at the jockey of the seven horse. Right before the horse reaches the finish line the ball nails the jockeys's head and knocks him off the horse. The seven horse crosses the finish line jockeyless as the one horse crosses the line in second. Vince watches in awe of his throw. VINCE Johnny did you see that fucking throw? Ah Vince. JOHNNY

VINCE Brett Favre couldn't have made that throw. JOHNNY Vince what do you think? Before the cops? VINCE Yeah, yeah I hear ya Johnny. Vince and Johnny run through a stunned crowd with Vince pausing, pulling a fifty out of his pocket and handing it to the kid with the football. VINCE Thanks for the hot ball kid. Vince and Johnny jump over the subway portal, sliding between the trains closing doors. The train pulls away.

29. INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

Neely walks into the coffee shop. She surveys the room, finding it without Vince. She approaches Sarah. NEELY Hi. How are you? SARAH Good and you? NEELY Yeah have you seen Vince? You know the tall, stupid looking guy thats in here all the time. SARAH Oh yes. The nice, funny man. Double Cappuccino. NEELY He's an asshole. But yes he drinks cappuccino's. Anyway have you seen him today? SARAH Oh yes he was here earlier. What time? NEELY For how long?

SARAH Hmm I'm not sure. But he left me this. As Sarah turns to reveal the laptop as Vince comes charging through the door. VINCE Neely baby hey sweetie what are you doing here? You never come here you hate this place. NEELY I was looking for the next Charlie Kaufman. At this point Sarah is holding the laptop in her hand and Johnny has entered the building. VINCE Well I'm working on it babe but I had to take a break. Johnny here uhh... (MORE)

30. VINCE (cont'd) happened to be in the neighborhood and wanted to get a beer so I gave Sarah here the laptop to hold for me. Vince grabs the laptop from Sarah. JOHNNY I was just passing through. NEELY I thought you lived in Harlem? JOHHNY Yeah well you see ahh.one of my bitches ahh a few blocks from here. VINCE How about that. What are the chances? A girl out here in Ridgewood. What a fucking pimphand this guys got. Really? NEELY What's her name?

JOHHNY Ahh her name? Ahh Windbag. I mean Winona ahh Chavez. She's a fucking windbag though. Never shuts the fuck up. Shes an artist and pretty kinky so I put up with it. She lets me throw paint all over her and film every nasty thing I do to her... VINCE OK Johnny how sbout some class. NEELY Dont worry Johnny Im used to it. VINCE Come on baby thats not fair...do I told Johnny Id give him a lift home. The subway's not running and he'll rot on that fucking bus So you mind if I take the car? You're not planning on going anywhere are you?

31. NEELY Well I was thinking of packing up and leaving you're ass for being a degenerate gambler. But I guess that can wait until tomorrow. VINCE Johnny sit down. Sarah whip this guy up something special. Neely can we take this outside please? Neely follows Vince outside. VINCE Neely listen to me. I haven't bet on anything today. NEELY Vince you have racing form all over you're face. I do? VINCE

Vince wipes his face. NEELY And under the armpits. start wearing black T-shirts. You should

Vince lifts up his arm to reveal his ink-stained T-shirt. VINCE OK You got me. I went to the track. I had a tip on a horse and Baby... he fucking won. I'm telling you we're set for the year. You can quite waiting those fucking tables and just read books or whatever it is you want to do with your life. NEELY Oh yeah. How much did you win? $30,000. Fuck you. VINCE NEELY

32. VINCE No bullshit. You want to call my OTB account. NEELY Give me the phone. VINCE OK... here. It's under "The Fucking Track." Vince hands the phone to Neely. She scrolls down to the Ts to find The Fucking Track and dials. NEELY Account number? 7212. 7212. Fyodor. Fyodor? VINCE NEELY VINCE NEELY

VINCE MikalevichDostoevsky. Neely rolls her eyes. Neely slowly lowers the phone from here ear and hangs up after hearing Vince's OTB account balance. She is subtle and cool however and shows none of the excitement Vince is psychologically clamoring for. NEELY $29,868? Thats not a friend of yours on the other line is it? You better not be fucking with me. VINCE Baby this is legit. Too legit to quit. He does the Hammer dance. NEELY How the hell did you do this Vince? Youre a loser. Youre supposed to lose.

33. VINCE Not today baby. Not today. NEELY Well don't fuck this up! Get the money! If you lose it Im leaving you. I swear to God Ill leave you. That would just be too disgusting and too much of an indictment of your degeneracy to get over. VINCE It's gotten babe. Now do you love me? NEELY Unfortunately. VINCE Thats the spirit. Give the big man a kiss. Vince and Neely kiss. In the background Johnny is snapping photos of Sarah. EXT. VINCE'S APARTMENT - DAY

Vince and Johnny are getting into Neely's car. Neely is entering the apartment. She calls out to Vince. NEELY Hey don't forget my father is in town and he wants to take us out to dinner. What time? Eight. VINCE NEELY

VINCE Tell him to leave his money in his hotel room. I'm buying baby. NEELY I don't think that's such a good idea. Why not? VINCE

34. NEELY My dad thinks he's Tony Soprano. INSERT CLIP A scene from the Sopranos where Meadow's boyfriend attempts to pay for their meal. VINCE I'll get the tip then. Vince jumps in the car and peels out. Vince stays looks stops opens car. and Johnny drive past OTB without stopping. The camera on OTB as the car reverses back into the screen. It as if Johnny has taken control of the wheel. The car in front and Johnny gets out, walks around the car, the car door, and drag's a resistant Vince out of the

Vince in OTB writing a withdrawal slip for $10,000. Johnny is over his shoulder and grabs the pencil from Vince, crossing out the $10,000 and replacing it with $29,000. Vince grabs the pencil from Johnny, crosses out the $29,000 and changes it to $20,000. Johnny grabs the pencil from Vince, crosses out the $20,000 and changes it to $25,000. Vince hesitates, signs the form, and shakes Johnny's hand. The teller hands the withdrawal slip to the manager. He does a double take at the amount but remains calm. He checks the drivers license photo and looks at Vince, who smiles and gives the guy a thumbs up. Vince gets his photo taken by Johnny with one arm around the teller and the other holding out the cash. He kisses the teller's forehead. The Manager stands reluctantly in the background. Vince and Johnny get stopped by two soldiers with machine guns at the Williamsburg Bridge as car after car of men with turbans merge onto the bridge unabated in the background. The soldiers are holding Vince's cash as he tries to explain. He charades a jockey on a horse and then pulls his arm back into a football throwing motion. The guards look each other and laugh and both tap Vince on the back. A man in a gorilla suit chases a women in the background. Vince shoves hundred dollar bills in the barrel of each soldiers gun and hops back into the car.

35. EXT. UPPER EAST SIDE - NIGHT The car pulls up outside an apartment on the Upper East Side. Vince calls someone. VINCE My Man. I'm here I'll be right up. Alright. (To Johnny) I'll just be a minute. I've got to drop off some cash to this yuppie clown. Hurry up. JOHNNY

VINCE Why? What the fuck do you have to do? What? JOHNNY Well you know I

As Johnny is finishing his thought Vince gets out of the car and shuts the door. INT. YUPPIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Vince is greeted at the door by DAN, squirmy young chap wearing an oxford and beaming with self-love. DAN Vince brother what's up dude? VINCE Hey dude you know. Umm....you wouldn't happen to have anything to drink would you? Water? Ice cold Grey Goose? DAN Yeah man come in. Me and the boys blew off work today and have been playing poker all afternoon. You Should join us. VINCE Excuse me did you just say poker? DAN Yeah man we're playing No-Limit Hold Em. $2000 buy in. Do you play?

36.

VINCE Do I play poker? FLASHBACK INT. VINCE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Vince is at his laptop surfing the web. He gets hit with a poker pop-up. He glances in the Kitchen where Neely is cooking dinner. He clicks on the pop-up and starts to sign up. Later that evening. Vince and Neely are lying in bed seemingly asleep. Vince's eyes open, he taps Neely in the shoulder. She sighs and rolls over. Vince slides out of bed and then Vince is at the laptop with a credit card in his hand. He enters his credit card information and deposits $500. MONTAGE ONLINE POKER ACTION Vince gets on a table. He wins a few hands and his bankroll grows. Vince hits flushes , draws inside straights, and three of a kind, all on river. His chip count hits $3000. Then he starts to lose... lose everything. He deposits another $500 and loses that. Vince Deposits $1000. Vince loses a hand. Vince deposits $1000. Vince loses a hand. Vince deposits $1000. Vince quickly loses the $1000 in a few hands of 30/60 limit. Vince climbs in bed. Neely rises for work soon after. She leaves for work and Vince immediately jumps out of bed and gets on the computer. Vince playing poker.

37. Vince running across the street for a coffee. Vince playing more poker. Vince running across the street for another coffee and a sandwich. Vince playing poker. Vince hears footsteps. Shuts the computer down and hops on the couch with a book. He greets Neely. Vince and Neely cook dinner together. Every chance he gets he runs to the computer to play a hand. Vince pours more and more wine for Neely after dinner and continues to pass her the bowl against her will. Vince and Neely in bed and Vince cues up a DVD. Before the opening credits Neely is out cold. Vince taps her on the shoulder a couple times, then gets up and does a couple of jumping jacks next to the bed. Neely remains motionless. He runs out of the bedroom. Vince on the computer playing poker. Clock reads 5AM and Vince's chip count is $5000 Clock reads 7am and Vince's count is 75 cents. Vince crawls into bed and spoons Neely affectionately. Neely grabs Vince's arm and wraps it around her waist. Neely gets out of bed, jumps in the shower, throws on an outfit, smokes a bowl, and walks out of the apartment. Vince gets out of bed and hops back on the computer. Vince deposits $1000. FASTER MOTION The cycle repeats as the sun rises and falls. Finally....

Vince has a bankroll of $6000. He is on a No-limit table and is dealt a pair of aces. A player goes all in for $10,000. Vince does a head bob and calls. The other hand is a pair of 22's. Vince laughs and head bobs. The turn comes down K-J-8. Vince throws his arms in the air, gets up from his chair, and starts doing lat-pull down motions. The turn is a 2. Vince's motions become a little less assured. The river is another 2. Vince pauses, shocked.

38. He looks around for something to hit, then in one swift motion rips the laptop off the desk and whips it out of the window. The sounds of the laptop smashing into a car, along with multiple car alarms are audible. Vince runs to the kitchen, grabs a bottle of Grey Goose out to the freezer and downs half of it. He reaches into the fridge, grabs a jar of olives, and flips a few in his mouth. Then he walks over to the couch, plops down, pulls a blanket over his head, and passes out. GRADUAL FADE OUT THEN IN Neely is standing in the apartment after opening the door to a passed out Vince and a broken window. She is holding a bottle of wine in her hand and has a cigarette dangling from her lips. She falls to the floor and starts to cry. INT. YUPPIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Vince and the Yuppie. VINCE Bear shit in the woods? Play some cards. Let's

At the table Vince takes the wad out of his pocket and counts out $2000. He hands it to the Yuppie who slides him two racks of chips. He then counts out another $3000 and change and hands it to the Yuppie. VINCE Your week. Don't spend it all on whores. Vince takes his seat at the table. I'll post. VINCE there are six other guys in some combination of polo baseball caps, visors, and sunglasses. Vince

We pan around the table where absolute silence, all wearing shirts, basketball tank-tops, goatees. They are all wearing

They've hired a beautiful Asian women to deal naked. winks at her. She remains expressionless and deals.

All the players receive their hole cards. Vince is on the button. The blinds are 10/20.

39. The player to the left of the big blind folds. The next two guys fold. The fourth guy, the Yuppie, calls. He has Q-10 of spades, which we can see as his cards are shown in the bottom left corner of the frame just like on TV. The fifth guy folds. Vince raises to $100. His hole cards are 2-7 offsuit. The small blind folds. The big blind is holding KK. He calls. The fourth guy also calls and theres a 3-way pot. The percentages pop up just like on TV. The flop comes Jd-5c-6c. Yuppie checks. Vince bets $100. big blind calls. The Yuppie folds. The

The turn is a Jc. It is Vince's bet. He checks. The big blind hesitates. Then bets $200. Vince does a head bob. VINCE I'm all-in. Vince has nothing. Not even a club. The big-blind doesn't have a club either. He sizes Vince up. A topless cocktail waitress brings Vince a drink, Grey Goose on the rocks, three olives. He sips it like he's laying on the beach with five million in his bank account. The big-blind rubs his forehead and adjust his cap. He seems to be the chip-leader with what looks like close to $10,000. A call wouldn't kill him. The big blind mucks his hand. Vince immediately flips over his cards. VINCE Nice one Moneymaker. I understand I'm fucking Voodoo on the table but come on pal... you gotta call the new guy! Big-blind is boiling. Fuck!!!!! BIG-BLIND

Vince tips the dealer. VINCE For the tits. Vince's cell phone rings. It's Johnny who's been waiting in the car this entire time. JOHNNY What the fuck?

40. VINCE Motherfucker. JOHNNY Goddamn right. VINCE There's Poker and titties up here Johnny. I'm not to be held responsible. Titties? JOHNNY

VINCE Yeah get up here. JOHNNY I'm on my way. Vince flips his phone shut. rings. Dan answers. Who is it? Over the intercom. Johnny. JOHNNY DAN

Apt.

34B.

A few seconds later a buzzer

Vince is confused, but impressed. VINCE Yeah Dan it's cool he's my boy. By this time a new hand has been dealt and it comes to Vince. He folds. The other players cards are still shown like poker broadcasts on TV in the bottom left corner of the screen. It becomes a 3-way pot which gets interesting. The hand is played with the cards in display as Vince gets up from the table and heads into the kitchen to make a phone call. VINCE Zoltan you sick fuck what's up. Listen I can't meet you at the office today. I'm stuck here in the city.

41. INT. CIGAR SHOP - NIGHT

A man is shooting pool in a black, three piece suit. We witness only the forcefulness of his pool break and the coldness of his facial expression. He looms an ominous and intimidating figure. ZOLTAN Where are you? BACK TO VINCE VINCE I'm on the Upper East side. ZOLTAN Address and apartment #. Ahh VINCE

He pulls a piece of paper from his pocket. East 82nd street. It's between 3rd and Lex. Apt. 34B. ZOLTAN I'll be there in 20. Zoltan snaps his phone shut. VINCE That sick fuck. Vince returns to the card table. He walks past Johnny. He is taking pictures of the topless waitress, who he has positioned in hauntingly strange poses. One of the guys has just caught a flush on the river to take down pocket aces. VINCE You guys ever get the feeling that God is watching the river? That God is the River? Vince sips his Goose and contemplates. The buzzer rings again. Vince once again looks confused. Dan rushes to the door. Who is it? DAN

42. A voice from the intercom is heard. Zoltan. ZOLTAN

Vince looks directly into the camera and does the Leslie Neilson. VINCE It's cool he's my boy. Vince calls for the waitress who brings one of the boys a beer. VINCE Hey sweetie I'll take another one of these. And the Post. Vince head bobs and moments later the waitress hands him his drink and the NY Post. He quickly tears through the basketball lines and pulls a pen from his breast pocket. He circles three games and puts the pen back in his pocket. INT. YUPPIE'S APT - NIGHT

Dan opens the door and there is Zoltan. Zoltan stands not much higher than five feet. Peter Dinklage maybe. ZOLTAN Where the fuck is Vince? Vince cuts in front of Dan, grabs Zoltan, and takes him into the kitchen. VINCE Zolt baby relax a little, have a drink, look at the girls. ZOLTAN Listen Vince, it's bad enough you blow us off again and I have to come meet you here at this fucking yuppie cockfight. Just give me the fucking money before I start ripping off some balls. VINCE Alright Zolt. I dig that. The figure I called into the office was four and change. $4080. ZOLTAN

43. VINCE That's it? Here it is. Now Zolt listen there was a very important reason I brought you up here. You see that guy over there? Vince points to the chip leader, the same guy who Vince bluffed, who looks to have doubled up and is sitting on around $20,000 in chips. VINCE That's an old friend of mine from College. His last name is Kraft. Ring a bell. ZOLTAN Don't fuck with me. VINCE Alright you don't get out much I know. Kraft Macaroni and cheese? Bob Kraft? Owner of the New England Patriots? ZOLTAN Fucking philistines! VINCE What I'm trying to say here is this guy came out of the womb with stock options stapled to his nuts. ZOLTAN What did I say about fucking with me? VINCE OK Zoltan. He's got a trust fund the size of Brooklyn. How's that? ZOLTAN That's big. VINCE There you get it? Good. Now the thing is this kid is degenerate gambler. Like you. ZOLTAN

VINCE No. God no. But close. He apparently doesn't trust the (MORE)

44. VINCE (cont'd) Online guys and he just busted a Bookie who cut him off -- so he's looking for someone he can trust. ZOLTAN He trusts me. VINCE No he trusts me Zoltan you silly bird. So here's the deal. This kid has been on fire so his luck is about to head for the islands... and here we are to take it all in. ZOLTAN The office know about this guy? VINCE Zolt I just ran into the fucking guy and you are the first person I called. ZOLTAN What's he rolling? VINCE He wants to play 3 games tonight. $15,000 a game. ZOLTAN That's some paper. This guy's a donkey no? VINCE First class. ZOLTAN Fifteen dimes a game. That's some timber for you to be handling. It's you're ass if this kid runs. VINCE Listen I'm fine with it. Sure I could use the extra cut but it's the office that'll be making out and if you approve it can't hurt in keeping the sun shining on you're sweet ass. ZOLTAN You sure this isn't you're action?

45. VINCE I'll introduce you to him if it would make him feel more comfortable but I assured him he'd be dealing only with me so I wouldn't want to break that trust and scare him off. ZOLTAN Alright. I believe you. Even you don't have the balls to play that chowder. What's he want? VINCE He needs lines on Harvard/Brown, G. Tech/Auburn, UCLA/Oregon. Zoltan pulls out a mini notepad and flips through it. Pick'em. ZOLTAN Auburn 6. UCLA 12.

VINCE Alright give me a second. Vince walks over to the guy with the stack. VINCE(CONTD) Hey Dutch Douche. Looks like the cards have been kind to you since that laydown. The guy nods. Vince taps him and winks at Zoltan. Vince is standing back in front of Zoltan. VINCE Brown, Auburn, and Oregon 15,000 each. ZOLTAN Alright. Call the rest of your shit into the office and I'll deal with this load. But if this cat runs I rip you're fucking balls off. VINCE Yeah Zolt, love baby. cute. You're so

ZOLTAN Now get me out of here before I rip some fucking

46. INT. YUPPIE'S APT - NIGHT

Vince opens a bedroom door and finds Johnny in there with the cocktail waitress. He is taking close ups of her back. VINCE You guys plan on doing anything substantial in here. If not honey it's martial law out there. These boys need some drinks. Warhol we need to move. JOHNNY OK sweetie so I have your number. I have some work coming up that youll be perfect for. The waitress gives Johnny a hug and Johnny kisses her on the forehead. INT. VINCE'S APARTMENT - DAY Neely is in her bathrobe on the way to the bathroom. Her robe drops revealing her calves. She turns on the shower. She brushes her teeth in the shower. She spits all over her feet. She rinses and turns the shower off. She wraps her hair in a towel and checks her teeth in the mirror. She packs a bowl, takes a hit, lights a cigarette and plays some music - Billie, Ella, or Dolly Parton. She begins modeling clothes in her underwear while she sings along to the music. She tries on several different outfits and ends up choosing something conservative. She still looks sexy as she flirts a little with the mirror while applying a little lip gloss. She walks over to the laptop and double clicks on Mozilla. As soon as she's connected to the internet the computer gets bombarded with poker and porn pop-ups. Disgusted she slams the laptop shut. She grabs her cell phone and calls Vince.

47. INT. NEELY'S CAR - SAME

Vince is driving up the Westside highway with Johnny. He checks his phone. "Neel's" comes up on the Caller ID. He hesitates. Shit. VINCE

JOHNNY The Neel's. VINCE The Neel's alright. He answers. Hey babe. VINCE

NEELY Where are you? VINCE I'm on my way back babe but it looks like something's going on here at the Williamsburg bridge. NEELY (suspiciously) Oh yeah. A bomb? VINCE Probably. Anyway sweetie look maybe I better just meet you at the restaurant. This looks pretty ugly. NEELY OK. We're meeting him at Pigalle. It's on 44th and 7th. VINCE I thought he was going to get reservations at Carmine's? NEELY He did but he cancelled. He wants to stay close to his hotel. VINCE What about what we want? I want some clams marinara baby!

48. NEELY Eight O'clock sharp. VINCE Alright I'll be there. Love ya babe. NEELY Love you too. OK bye. VINCE

Vince flips his phone shut and lights up a cigarette. VINCE I think I hate this fucking guy. JOHNNY Most insecure boyfriend's hate their girlfriends father. He hates you too Im sure... since you get to fuck her. Vince stares at Johnny fixedly. He takes one last drag of his cigarette and flicks it out the window. With the same hands he slaps Johnny in the face. EXT. NEELY'S CAR - SAME

The car speeds up the highway toward Harlem. INT. PIGALLE'S - NIGHT

Neely is greeted at the bar by her father, TIM. Tim is a massive man, 6' 6" 300 minimum. About 5% of that is bodyfat. TIM Hey baby girl. Hey dad. NEELY

TIM Wheres youre boy? NEELY He hit traffic giving one of his friends a lift. Hell be here soon.

49. TIM I dont think I like this guy Neely. NEELY Dad not now. TIM OK But I just have to say I dont approve of the direction this relationship is going. This guys got no job, no money, and no manners. NEELY I know. It doesnt look good. TIM What you need to do is find a guy with some money. Youre beautiful and intelligent and for some reason youre wasting youre life on this deadbeat. NEELY But hes trying to get it together Dad and I do love him. TIM Yeah OK. Anyway what are you drinking? Im starting to feel a little edgy. NEELY Ill have a beer. Sierra Nevada. TIM Bartender! Yes how are you. Tim OReilly. Tim reaches over and shakes the bartenders hand. BARTENDER (taken back) Ahh...Jim. TIM Jim nice to meet you brother. Let me have a Vodka martini, straight up, shaken three times, a little dirty, three olives. And my daughter will have a Sierra Nevada. Whats that some hippie beer?

50. BARTENDER Ahh...I believe its from Colorado. TIM Whatever. One of those for my beautiful daughter Neely here. Neely is shocked and blushes. TIM Neely here is looking for a man. Do you have any rich friends? BARTENDER Ill be right back with youre drinks sir. TIM You got it buddy. Id let you take her out but Id have to see sufficient funds in your bank account first. Here Ill leave you my card. Call me when you land a big movie gig. Dad stop. What? Being you. NEELY TIM NEELY

TIM Hey Im buying the drinks. NEELY OK Im gonna make a quick phone call. Neely walks over by the entrance to make a call. INT. OTB - SAME

Vinces phone rings as hes staring up at a television. There is a harness race from Yonkers running. He looks at his phone and turns the ringer off. There are a bunch of Jamaicans snapping their fingers and cheering in Jamaican gibberish. Vince plays to the crowd.

51. VINCE Im telling you the only thing better than sex is when a horse opens up by six lengths at 10-1 and you have $500 to win on him. Vince starts giving the Jamaicans high fives. VINCE(CONTD) Did I tell you? What I say? The five horse could win with you sitting in the sulky smoking a spliff. JAMAICAN You a crazy mutherfucker my man. (pointing to Vince) Hey this is the mutherfucker right here! VINCE Alright my man. Ive got to get the fuck out of here. Remember, if you want to bet the horses, youve gotta be focused. (points to his head) Smoke after you win. Not before you lose. JAMAICAN Alright alright. Cool. VINCE

Vince walks toward the teller to collect his winnings. EXT. PIGALLE - SAME

Neely is standing outside the restaurant smoking a cigarette and attempting to contact Vince. She flips the phone up in frustration and puts it in her purse. EXT. NEW YORK CITY - NIGHT

Vince is on his cellphone checking the scores. VINCE Johnny you there. Ok go to college basketball and then click scoreboard. Alright I need Brown. Browns up 10? How much time left. (MORE)

52. VINCE (cont'd) 10 minutes. Thats a winner. What about Auburn. Theyre up 22? Fucking beautiful. Second half right? OK and I need Oregon. Theyre up 11? Thats another winner theyre getting 12. First half I understand theyre still locked. Johnny youre beautiful Ill talk to you later. Vince flips his phone shut and does some crazy karate move. He composes himself, smooths out his hair, and pops in a breath mint. INT. PIGALLE - SAME Neely approaches the bar to find her father having his martini glass replenished by the bartender. As she arrives at the bar Vince walks in. VINCE Hey babe. Tim Buddy. How are you sir? TIM Hello Vince. Well you know just taking in the Big City and all its airs and assholes. VINCE Yeah well theres plenty of that down here. (under his breath) Whatever the fuck that means. TIM What are you drinking Vince? VINCE Grey Goose martini, three olives Tim. Good man. TIM

VINCE I wouldnt go that far. A hostess approaches. HOSTESS Mr. OReilly your table is ready.

53. TIM Great. Im so hungry I could eat my kid and her boyfriend here. Tim laughs. Vince turns his head and sighs sarcastically. Neely looks like shes about to drop dead. INT. PIGALLE - SAME Vince, Neely, and Tim are finishing up dinner. Tom and Neely seem to be involved in a heated discussion while Vince seems disinterested. TIM Thats your liberal professors talking. Theres a real world out here and we all dont get to live in Disneyland and wear tweed jackets. OK. NEELY

Neely looks at Vince who rolls his eyes and swigs his martini. NEELY But dont you think its possible youve been brainwashed by all this born again Christian literature youve been reading a little bit. I mean come on Dad that can be just as fundamentalist of an attitude toward culure and society as the Taliban. TIM Dont be absurd. My wife doesnt wear a mask over her head. Although sometimes I wish she would. Waiter!

Vince excuses himself from he table and walks up to the bar. He looks at the television which is playing some European soccer game. The bartender is Italian and is highly engaged in the game.

54. VINCE He pal you think you could put ESPN just for a couple minutes so I can check a score. BARTENDER About ten minutes sir. is almost over. This game

Vince looks at the score. Its 4 to 1. VINCE The score is 4 to 1. The fucking game is over. BARTENDER Ten minutes sir thank you. The bartender turns immediately back to the screen shrugging off Vinces comments. VINCE (Very serious) Alright pal then let me just have a heineken while I wait. And ahh... Put fucking ESPN on. BARTENDER (Sees that Vince is very serious) OK sir. The bartender hands Vince a heineken and puts ESPN on. Vince takes a sip of his heineken as the scores run by on ESPNs bottomline. We observe close ups of Harvard 54, Brown 56, and Vince stunned. Georgia Tech 78, Auburn 65, Vince dropping his beer. UCLA 85, Oregon 70, a bead of sweat dripping from Vinces brow. Vince is pale and clammy. He points to the TV and mumbles as he gasps for air. VINCE That, that, you sure that isnt, that there isnt a video tape in there, that, what, what the fuck. Vince heads for the door. the way. EXT. PIGALLES - SAME He takes a couple people out along

Vince lights of a cigarette and tries to compose himself.

55. INT. PIGALLES - SAME

Vince rejoins the table. Tim and Neely are involved in a heated discussion. Neely is overly sensitive to the material and begins to cry. TIM Neely whats wrong with you. NEELY I dont know. TIM We used to be able to go pointcounterpoint with each other about these issues. NEELY I just dont know if I can handle some of the things that come out of your mouth. TIM Baby all Im saying is keep these people in their place. I dont want homosexuals near my grill, blacks corrupting my brothers daughters, and I dont want to wake up one day to get my coffee and find my local Dunkin Donuts has been turned into a hash bar. Vince has had enough and looks like hes going to have a seizure. VINCE Thats it Ive had about as much of this Fascist shit as I can take from you old man. Nobody makes my Neels cry! Vince lunges at Tom. Neely screams. CUT TO: INT. NEW YORK CITY TELETHEATER - NIGHT Vince is sitting at the bar. He has cotton balls hanging from his nostrils. There is harness racing broadcasting on the monitors. He crumbles up a few losing OTB tickets and tosses them at the bartender.

56. BARTENDER VINCE FADE TO BLACK. TITLES - VINCE AND NEELY INT. COCKTAIL PARTY - NIGHT Vince is surrounded by a crowd of people telling a joke. In the background of this crowd is Neely. As everyone in the crowd is hanging on Vinces every word. Neely seems quite unaffected, registering not even a smile. She radiates grace and sophistication. VINCE The doctor says, the balls are gonna be hanging right here. Vince points two fingers at his eyes. laughing except Neely. Everyone bursts out CUT TO: INT. COCKTAIL PARTY - SAME Neely is sitting alone sipping on a glass of wine. Vince spots her from a distance and approaches. VINCE Hi there. Whats ahh, your major? Excuse me? NEELY

Hey man! Sorry.

VINCE Im Vince. I hear it was English. NEELY You heard correctly. Im Neely. VINCE Neely. How Mellifluous. I love Sylvia Plath. You know I couldnt help noticing earlier that you didnt find one thing that came out of my mouth the least bit amusing.

57. NEELY Oh well dont take it personally. I guess I have some kind of block when it comes to adolescent humor. VINCE How enchanting. Listen I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me some time. NEELY Why would I want to do that? VINCE Broaden your horizons a little. NEELY Where you gonna take me? VINCE You like the races? NEELY What Cars? Drag races? VINCE Horses Baby. Horses. Ill take you to the track. You must like horses. NEELY Theyre OK I guess. Never was really interested in them. VINCE Ok then how about steaks. You must enjoy a nice steak dinner every now and then. NEELY I love steak. VINCE Steak it is then. How about tomorrow night. Ill pick you up at 8 and well cab out to Brooklyn. NEELY You want to take me to Peter Lugers tomorrow night Vince? VINCE You bet your ass I do.

58. NEELY Yeah why not. I havent got any better offers. VINCE Put your digits in here. Vince hands her his cell phone. CUT TO: INT. VINCES APARTMENT - NIGHT

Vince is getting ready. He is sharply dressed. He grabs his wallet and opens it up. There is maybe $80 in there. He sighs and checks his watch. It reads 7:00. CUT TO: INT. OTB - SAME

Vince is yelling with the Jamaicans. As they continue to yell Vince walks toward the exit tearing up his tickets. EXT. NEELYS APARTMENT - SAME

Vince rings the buzzer. Neelys voice recites Ill be right down. CUT TO: Moments later Vince is on the phone smoking a cigarette as Neely walks out the door. VINCE Two dimes Maryland. Thats it. Later. Neely looks absolutely stunning. Vince takes perhaps the most satisfying drag of nicotine of his life as he admires his date. VINCE Listen baby change of plans. Lugers is full tonight and if we cant eat the best why bother with steak. I got another place in mind where will start and then well just play it by ear. OK.

59. NEELY (A bit taken back) Youre in charge. I hope you know what youre doing. You wouldnt want to fuck this up. Vince is in love. NEELY Just kidding. Lets go. INT. SPORTS BAR - SAME Vince and Neely approach the bar. VINCE Whatcha drinking babe. NEELY Vince this is a sports bar. VINCE Dont be so high maintenance. Sports fans are people too. Besides this place is great. All the games are here. Beer or wine. NEELY Ill have a Sierra Nevada. VINCE Hey Charlie two Sierra Nevadas. CHARLIE You got it Vince. VINCE You like basketball? NEELY I like to play it. I was captain in high school. VINCE Well have to play one on one some time. Youre on. NEELY

VINCE So you dont watch it, or bet on it by any chance.

60. NEELY No dont be ridiculous. VINCE Well this Duke/Maryland game is about to start and if Maryland wins this game, or at least keeps it close Ill take you out to the best of the best restaurants for the rest of the week. NEELY Steak and lobsters? VINCE All the steak, lobsters, and $200 bottles of wine we can consume, along with every show on Broadway worth a dam. NEELY The Producers. VINCE Ill see anything but Rent. Vince shakes his head in disgust. NEELY Lets go Maryland. VINCE Lets go Maryland is fucking right. MONTAGE Vince grabs a couple more beers as the Maryland/Duke game begins. Maryland scores and Vince and Neely cheer. Maryland scores again and is opening up a big lead. Maryland scores again as Neely yells out Dukes got nothing! Vince stares at Neely contemplating spending the rest of his life with this girl. The game is over and Maryland has won. Vince and Neely high five. Vince and Neely walk into Dickys bar. Vince orders a couple of drinks from Dicky, motioning silently for him to take care of him.

61. Vince and Neely sitting in a diner both laughing and eating French fries. Vince puts Neelys coat on while insisting on paying the tab. Neely walks ahead of him as he picks up the check and puts it in his pocket. Vince and Neely disappear around the corner as a waitress runs out of the diner. She looks around and then falls to her knees in tears. Vince and Neely drinking red wine as they are presented with two enormous Peter Luger steaks. Vince and Neely walking out of the PRODUCERS. Neely stops Vince and plants a kiss on him in a self-consciously romantic moment. Vince and Neely at the races cheering as the horses roar down the stretch. Vince tears up his tickets in defeat while Neely raises her ticket cheering victoriously. Vince picks her up and swings her around. Vince and Neely looking at an apartment. Vince carrying a chair in the apartment as hes directed by Neely. Vince and Neely at a pet store. Vince points to a dog. Neely points to a cat. Vince point back to the dog. Neely to the cat. Vince and Neely walk out of the pet store with a cat. Vince and Neely in bed making out. The cat jumps up on the bed licking both of their faces. The three of them play. FADE OUT. TITLES -

INT. SHRINKS OFFICE - MORNING Vince is sitting in a leather chair facing his shrink, a middle aged man in his 50s. Vince is smoking. VINCE I always wondered why you didnt have a couch in here.

62. SHRINK We dont do that anymore. VINCE Well at least I can smoke in here. You cant smoke anywhere else in this city without people looking at you like youre a fucking crackhead. SHRINK So are we making any progress Vince. Did you gamble last week? VINCE Yeah a little bit. I won over $30,000 and then lost it all and then some in one day. For a young man without a job I find that pretty ridiculous, dont you Doc?. I think Im making progress though, being able to admit that to myself at least, ya think? Go on. SHRINK

VINCE So I tried to win all the money back I won, then lost this week by betting 5 team parlays and I swear every time I had 4 games that hit and then lost the 5th on something just sick, just awful, just truly disgusting. I mean I swear someone up there has it out for me. So I ended up losing everything, including rent money. Which if I have to admit to Neely shes definitely leaving me. Not to mention I got my ass kicked by her father over the weekend. Christ. So what do you think doc? You got anything for me? SHRINK Well I think it would be wise to cease with these 5 team parlays. The odds just are nowhere in your favor Vince. You sound like you are decent at picking these games. Maybe you should concentrate on singles, that is if you insist on gambling. (MORE)

63. SHRINK (cont'd) And at least be disciplined about it. You know Vince you really are a disgustingly undisciplined person. Anyway, either way it will lead to your ruin if you dont stop. That being said what Id like to talk about is that dream you began telling me about last week. Something about being a small person. VINCE Oh yeah. Well you see I keep having this dream about a midget. And in the dream I am the midget. This becomes a voice over as we watch the visual equivalent of this dream. And Im playing on this football team. So every time the team get the ball close to their opponents goal line they put me in the game. They line me up in the backfield next to their fullback. Then the center snaps the ball directly to me. As soon as I catch the ball the fullback picks me up and throws me over the fucking goaline into the endzone. Its always like this. The first time I score. Then it happens again. But this time the defense brings in a fucking midget too. So when Im thrown into the air the other teams linebacker tosses his midget straight at me and knocks me out of the fucking sky. Then the referee walks over, stands on top of me, tells me to go fuck myself, and starts laughing. I think this week the referee was Neelys father. Were back on Vince. So what the do you make of that Doc? SHRINK Interesting. Well I think the imagery is obvious. (MORE)

64. SHRINK (cont'd) You may be large man on the surface, but your interior self is mired in this shame, guilt, and a general sense of inferiority. Let me ask you did you ever get pissed on as a child? VINCE Pissed on? You mean in a British way or literally pissed on? SHRINK Literally pissed on. VINCE No doc. And fuck you for asking. SHRINK Fair enough. Well Vince to be quite honest I dont think this feeling will cease until you make the big score and walk away on top. VINCE Eksweeze me? Let me get this right Doc. Youre encouraging me to gamble? I thought you just said it will lead to my ruin? SHRINK Well I think youre fucked either way Vincent. But you might have a shot at getting things right in this life if you conquer this game of gambling and walk away with the money and the girl. Then you might someday find peace. But hell its a longshot. The Doc laughs and stands up from his desk. SHRINK Well our time is up. VINCE Thats just great Doc. You keep firing out those winner. I think I know what I need to do. I saw it in a movie once.

65. INT. A FITNESS CLUB SOMEWHERE IN BROOKLYN - AFTERNOON

Vince walks into a Fitness club. It is a pretty generic Crunch type of club but smaller. Vince walks through the club until he comes upon the Yoga room. In the center of the room stretching is his mother, Maria. She has an ethereal presence about her as she concentrates on a Yoga pose. Vince pauses for a moment, as we observe Marias beauty and grace through Vinces eyes, then approaches. Hey Mom. VINCE

MARIA Vincent! What are you doing here? VINCE I had some time off so I thought Id come spend some time with my beautiful mother. MARIA I thought you were working around the clock as a bike messenger researching your screenplay. VINCE Yeah well, I crashed my ten speed a couple days ago. Besides that script really isnt going anywhere mom. I think Im going to change directions. One of my characters in one of my things does Yoga. Maybe I could join you for a class? MARIA Sure just go up to the counter to register. Tell them youre my guest. Great Ma. VINCE CUT TO:

Vince is on the floor taking off his shoes. He walks over and grabs a Yoga mat, then lays it down next to his mother. The instructor walks in the classroom. Hes thin and dark skinned with a ponytail and weird look about him. He lights a candle and puts on some gypsy music.

66. MONTAGE Vince attempting to pull leg up above his ass goes down with a cramp. The instructor staring at Vince shaking his head. Vince doing a sun salutation with some success. Maria focused on a Yoga position attempting to ignore her son. Vince in a downward dog pose takes a look to his right to find the instructor in the same position staring at him. He collapses in fright. Vince in full lotus position attempting deep breathing meditative exercise. He falls asleep and tumbles into his mother. She slaps him in the face to awaken him.

FADE TO: WHITE SCREEN. WE PULL BACK AND THE SCREEN BECOMES SUGAR POURING OUT ONTO A TABLE. WE ARE IN.... INT. A BROOKLYN DINER - DAY

Vince is pouring sugar all over the table. He stops, then pours a little in his cup of coffee. He adds cream, stirs, then drinks. Maria returns to the table smiling, for the moment happy to be spending time with her son. MARIA So how are things with..... She freezes, noticing Vinces artwork. MARIA What is this Vincent? VINCE Thats what I owe. MARIA Owe what? Who? Written in fine grain sugar on the table is the figure 50K. VINCE Some very bad men.

67. MARIA My god Vince. What do you do? Is it drugs Vince. Do you do Drugs? VINCE Well, (under his breath) Yes and no. (clearly) No mom I dont do drugs. MARIA You Gamble. You gamble Vince. Is that it? VINCE Mom I need the money. Now are you going to help me or not? MARIA What...I dont believe you Vincent. You come and see me like this and you talk to me in this tone. VINCE Mom please. Im in trouble here. MARIA My God. (pauses to consider) Vincent I dont have that kind of money to just throw away on your stupidity. VINCE But you have it. MARIA Yes I have it but Im supposed to just give it to you? What gives you the right? I dont like this Vincent I dont like what I see... VINCE Mom if I dont come up with the money theyll start with a 9 iron to my knee. After that its... its a baseball bat to the ribs. Eventually, down the line, a gun is thrown in the mix. Now these are serious people Mom. Theres no sugar coating this shit. (MORE)

68. VINCE (cont'd) I need fifty thousand by tomorrow or the next time you see me its in intensive care. Maria looks at Vince incredulously. She drowns her head in her hands, then emerges. MARIA Alright lets go. VINCE (to waitress) Check please. EXT. BROOKLYN SAVINGS AND LOAN - DAY Vince is standing outside smoking a cigarette and pacing nervously. His mother walks out of the bank, gingerly holding her purse. We good. VINCE

MARIA I have the money if thats what you mean. VINCE Lets see it. MARIA Not here. In my car. VINCE Ok. That works. Vince flicks his cigarette to the ground and steps on it. MARIA You really should stop smoking... and littering. Its disgusting Vincent. VINCE I know mom. MARIA Now you have to promise me this is the end Vincent. ou cant go on like this. We cant go on like this.

69. VINCE Mom I promise you I am going to pay off this debt and then thats it. Im going to change. Im going to make you proud Mom. MARIA I hope so Vincent. I love you. know that dont you. VINCE I know Mom. I know. Beat Lets go. VINCE(CONTD) You

INT. VINCE AND NEELYS APARTMENT - NIGHT Vince walks in the apartment carrying a pizza. Neely is sitting at the Kitchen table smoking a cigarette and drinking a glass of beer. The bowl is out. VINCE Hey honey. What are you doing home? I thought you had to work tonight? I quit. NEELY

VINCE What? Your kidding right? NEELY No Vince. I hate that fucking job. And since you hit it so big last week I figured now was a great time for me to take a break and explore some other things. Maybe do some writing. Ive been taking notes for a novel and I have a great idea for a screenplay Ive been wanting to write for some time now. VINCE Whoa hey baby. I thought you were gonna focus on taking your GREs and then maybe do some writing while waiting to hear on grad school.

70. NEELY Yeah but why waste more time. That job is meaningless and exhausting. Its time to move on. VINCE Well you see the thing is thats all great and all and I fully support my Neels... you know that but you see that money ahh... yes of course I still have it and it could open things up for us a bit here, allow us to breath, and enjoy a little but the truth is I got a little ahead of myself and... NEELY What do you mean baby? I thought you said we were all set? Steaks and Lobster. Broadway. All that shit baby. VINCE Yeah I know what I said but what I am trying to say now is that I think I let the situation sweep me up a bit, I got a little excitable because I love my Neels and want to make her happy but the thing is I really have to pay some things off with this money. Ive been meaning to pay off my school loans and I have about $15,000 in credit card bills so honestly baby I really think you should hold on to your job for a little longer.. At this point Neely has gotten up and walked into the bedroom and comes back carrying a couple of bags packed full of some of her things. VINCE (CONTD) Whoa wait a minute what... NEELY The landlord called me Vince. He told me we were three months behind on our rent and that he called you this morning to set up a time to come over, after you promised him over the weekend you would have us all caught up this week. (MORE)

71. NEELY (cont'd) But you told him that you were upstate at a friends funeral and wouldnt be back until Friday. Unfortunately for you he saw you walking out of an OTB this afternoon. VINCE He called you? That motherfucker. Hes not supposed to do that. NEELY Were not supposed to be three months behind on our rent Vince! You gamble all your money away then you gamble mine! Beat. You know Vince... I just cant figure out why, if you still had all this money, you would possibly need to be deceiving our landlord? You lost it all didnt you Vince? VINCE No I didnt lose it. NEELY Dont fucking lie to me Vince. VINCE OK I lost it. Im sick this whole thing... what happens here with me is sick OK... Vince slumps down into the couch, defeated. VINCE (CONTD) So what are you doing? Where are you going? NEELY Im done. Ive had it Vince. Im out. VINCE Ok thats fine you can quit your job Ill work things...

72. NEELY Not the fucking job Vince... Us! I dont want this anymore. VINCE Now wait a second, relax. Just hold on a second baby. I think we need to really talk about this here. NEELY Im through talking Vince. VINCE Listen I know things are bad between us but I promise you I am going to change. I am going to quit this shit and become a man for you. The man you want. The man you deserve. Ill get help. Neelys head is in her hands. Shes heard it all before. She is beginning to unravel a bit. VINCE Ill start going to GA. Well get help. Ill go to couples therapy. Whatever it takes. We just need to work on things a bit. NEELY I dont want to work on things Vince. I dont want it, I dont want it, I dont want it! Neely begins to cry. Vince for the first time seems to be aware of how serious Neely is. VINCE So thats it then. NEELY Im going to my fathers for a few days. I need you to take care of the cat until I figure out what I am going to do. VINCE Are you going to leave the city? Where are you going go? NEELY I dont know Vince.

73. VINCE Please stay. NEELY Ill call you to talk about picking up Beckett and the rest of my things. Oh theres a check for 2 months rent over there on the TV. That will give you time to sublet the place or work something out with Nick... to get out of the lease. VINCE Neels you.... NEELY Goodbye Vince. Neely picks up her bags and exits. Vince stands staring at the door for a moment. He walks into the Kitchen and sits down. He opens the pizza box and grabs a piece of pie. He takes two bites and puts the slice back in the box. He puts his head in his hands for a moment, then stands up, grabs the pizza box and throws it at the wall. The box falls to the floor leaving 7/8ths of the pie stuck to the wall. CUT TO: TITLES - VINCE AND JOHNNY VINCE (V.O.) Im not gonna lie. Being without Neely was difficult at first. But thankfully with the Spring comes Belmont, followed by the late card from Santa Anita, and then if youre lucky enough to have a friend own a Cafe with NBA TV you can pretty much just bet all day long until you pass out. MONTAGE Vince sitting alone in the bleachers, cheering on the horses as they run down the long stretch of the Belmont lawn. Vince sitting alone in a booth eating a steak with the races on a little TV nested in the wall.

74. Vince cheering on an NBA team in a little Italian cafe in Greenwich village. Johnny comes walking over and taps him on the shoulder. He walks to the bathroom. Vince lifting up a paper towel on top of the toilet to find a thick, long line of cocaine. VINCE (V.O.) Johnny found a widowed cougar with plenty of cash that her ex-husband left her who now lets Johnny use with her credit card. And well, we found a coke dealer with a Paypal account. Johnny and Vince transferring money into a Paypal account registered to PABLOESCABLOW@HOTMAIL.COM. Vince getting out of a cab on 14th street and running into a bar. Vince walks up to the bar and orders a beer. THE DEALER turns to him and gives him a tight handshake. Vince and the dealer bullshit a bit as Vinces beer arrives. He chugs it one gulp, slaps the dealers hand, and walks out of the bar. VINCE (V.O.) The only problem is we had to steal box sets from Virgin to legitimize the charges. Vince and Johnny in Virgin Records. Johnny is on lookout as Vince seeks out the security tab on a boxed set of Woody Allen films. He locates it, cuts it out, and dumps it in his shoulder bag. Johnny sitting on a couch at THE COUGARS apartment. He gets up and goes to the door. He opens it and Vince is in the hallway with a package. He hands it to Johnny and runs down the hall. Johnny shuts the door as the cougar enters the room. He shows her the box. The cougar has her hands on her hips. He smiles, puts the box down, throws his hands in the air, then moves toward her and kisses her. He is forgiven. VINCE (V.O.) And of course there were other women to help keep my mind off Neely. Were in a small one bedroom apartment in New York City. Johnny sits on a small two seater couch watching porn. On the table in front of him is a pile of cocaine and a Village Voice with markings all over the call girl section.

75. Vince walks out of the bedroom in bath towel. Johnny stands and they do a tag out high five. An Asian whore stands in the doorway motioning for Johnny. Johnny goes into the room and Vince takes the couch. He immediately cuts himself a line and rails it. Vince grabs the remote and changes the porn scene to something he likes. VINCE (V.O.) I did have to give up the apartment after the landlord realized Neely moved out. CUT TO: Vince, in bath robe, opening the door of his apartment to find his landlord. The landlord walks in to see the place in shambles. Empty pizza boxes fill the entire kitchen, horse racing is on the TV, poker on his laptop, and cigarette butts fill various ashtrays scattered all over the room. LANDLORD I want you out on the first. VINCE Good enough tough guy. LANDLORD What did you say? VINCE I said Ill fucking take you down! Peter stiffens and stands threateningly in front of Vince. He smiles, then turns and exits. MOMENTS LATER Vince is on the computer. He gets up and walks toward the window. Outside a couple Caddillacs pull up and a few old school Sicilians get out of their cars and begin pulling lawn chairs out of their trunks. They sit down as the landlord yells up to Vince. LANDLORD Ive changed my mind. You have 15 minutes.

76. VINCE (to himself) Is there anybody I owe money to who's not connected? CUT TO: BACK TO JOHNNYS ONE BEDROOM VINCE(V.O.) But Johnny was nice enough to let me sleep at his place, which could be a bit uncomfortable. Vince is sprawled out on the couch. It fits no much more than his ass. He has toilet paper wrapped around his head to cover his eyes as the sun beams in through the window. INT THE ITALIAN CAFE - NIGHT

Vince and Johnny sit in a booth drinking bottles of Moretti and watching a basketball game. Suddenly Vince catches something out of the corner of his eye and hits the deck. EXT. THE ITALIAN CAFE - SAME Zoltan is peering through the window. INT. THE ITALIAN CAFE - SAME

Vince is underneath the table. VINCE Fucking Zoltan. Did he see me? JOHNNY I dont know. What the fuck is going on? You owe him money? VINCE About eighty. JOHNNY Eighty? Well thats no problem I can take care of that. VINCE Eighty thousand.

77. JOHNNY Eighty Thousand what the fuck? You told me you were about even? VINCE Johnny this is no time for semantics. Is the little bastard coming in here or not? JOHNNY Yeah hes in. My god. VINCE

Vince turns and starts crawling toward the bathroom. Johnny gets up and greets Zoltan. He throws his hands in the air as if to say, I dont know where the fuck he is! Vince gets to the bathroom door. He opens the door and crawls in. Johnny is pointing to the television, shielding Zoltan from Vince. Vince sits on the toilet. He takes out a folded dollar bill and a set of keys. He unfolds the bill and picks a lump of powder up with he key. Vince looks up with the key near his nose. He eyes the door, which is being ripped off its hinges. He drops the key and the coke. Standing before him is Zoltan. Zoltan reaches for Vince. CUT TO: INT. THE ITALIAN CAFE - SAME

Vince flies across the room. Vince bounces off the wall, only to be frozen by Zoltan grabbing him in the nuts. VINCE Zolt baby please not the balls!!! CUT TO:

78. INT. THE ITALIAN CAFE - SAME Vince, battered and bruised, and Zoltan are sitting down in a booth together. A large Italian man has ushered what few other people there are in the place out and is locking the door. Vince motions to Johnny and he walks over and joins them. VINCE (V.O.) Its a damn good thing the little guy thought I was cute or I think I might have been ball less for the rest of my life. CUT TO: Vince begins to talk to Johnny while we pan and hold on the TV and the basketball action. Their conversation is inaudible drowned out by the sounds of the hardwood. We pan back and stop on Johnny, who shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly.

JOHNNY Bros before hos. CUT TO: INT. THE COUGARS APARTMENT - DAY Vince and Johnny are carrying a couch out of an otherwise bare apartment as Zoltan stands by watching them.

CUT TO: EXT. THE COUGARS APARTMENT - SAME Vince and Johnny place the couch in a UHAUL. Every other item in the apartment is in the background, including DVD and CD box sets, which seem to be everywhere.

79. VINCE (V.O.) Johnnys seemed to think this brilliant maxim was enough justification to rob his girlfriend. And I, well, I really had no choice. CUT TO: THE SAME SHOT OF ZOLTAN GRABBING VINCE BY THE BALLS. It continues with Vince falling into the wall in horror with blood spilling from his crotch. Zoltan hoists Vinces nuts over his head triumphantly.

CUT TO: INT. THE ITALIAN CAFE - DAY Ramon takes an encyclopedia out of his bag and hands it to Johnny. The large Italian man watches the door. VINCE (V.O.) I agreed with Zoltan to leave town. As things were, Zoltan had actually been contacted by a few other bookies to collect my losses, which he agreed to give me some time on as long as the office got most of their money. As for Johnny, he maxed out another one of the cougars credit cards to Ramons paypal account, then sold all the coke to the Yuppies uptown.

CUT TO: INT. YUPPIES APARTMENT - DAY Johnny takes giant bag of coke out of the encyclopedia, which has lost some of its content, and hands it to the yuppie. The yuppie hands Johnny a wad of hundred dollar bills. CUT TO

80. INT. JFK AIRPORT - DAY Vince is in line to board. He shakes Johnnys hand, who also is carrying a bag. VINCE So you decide where youre flying to first? JOHNNY I think Amsterdam. Figure Ill clean up a bit. Ill be too stoned to feel like doing any blow there. VINCE Not a bad idea. OK my man. Hug me up before I get all sappy. Vince and Johnny hug it out. Vince is boarding the plane. He takes one last, anxious look behind. Johnny snaps a photo of him. INT. CAB - DAY Vince is getting dropped off in a cab in the hills Hollywood. He is greeted by a friend, Ross, who helps him with his bag. ROSS Welcome my friend. VINCE Ross baby how longs it been? ROSS Feels like yesterday. VINCE Yeah well doesnt look like yesterday. Vince is escorted up the stairs, through a garden, and out to the pool house. This is a ridiculous house. ROSS This is where youll be staying. VINCE Youre kidding me?

81. ROSS Nope. Its yours for as long as you need. Well unless you fuck it up. Vince looks through the window into the main house where a few guys play video games. VINCE Whos that Drama and Turtle in there? ROSS Basically. Theyre not as funny though. VINCE Well who is? Vince sets down his bags. VINCE I guess College wasnt such a wash after all. Vince runs and jumps in the pool fully clothed. ROSS Enjoy it. Corona? VINCE Ahh you wouldnt happen to have any Grey Goose would ya? ROSS I dont think so. Vince pauses to consider, then goes underwater and closes his eyes. We follow him and pause until... he opens his eyes and kicks to the surface. He shakes his head and floats. VINCE Corona will do.

TITLES - SIX MONTHS LATER INT. 101 DINER - MORNING Vince sits at the diner with Johnny. He is on a laptop.

82. VINCE This is some really great stuff Johnny. JOHNNY Yeah I think it may be my best work. You want a free membership? Vince is viewing Johnnys web site. Its called Johnny Bangs Europe. Its Johnnys porn site full of photos and sample videos of Johnny and Europes finest. VINCE Im all set guy. JOHNNY Hows the problem? VINCE Its under control more or less. JOHNNY Did you try the GA? VINCE I went to one meeting,but it didnt go so well. CUT TO: INT. GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS - NIGHT Vince sits in a VFW banquet hall around a fold out table. Everyones eating doughnuts, smoking cigarettes, and drinking bad coffee. VINCE Hello my name is Vincent, and Im a gambleholic. GA MEMBERS (in unison) Hi Vincent. VINCE So what do I do here you want the story the whole story? GA GROUP LEADER Just tell us what youre comfortable with sharing.

83. VINCE Well Im here so I dont see any point to fucking around. I made my first bet when I was five years old on a soap box derby race. CUT TO: Vince taking a $5 bill off a Toddler at a soap box derby race. We are without audio as Vince continues talking and gesticulating. Cut forward. VINCE When I was 8 I stole my Fathers change Jug and lost the entire load in a nickel and dime poker game. There was probably $300 in change in that fucking thing. An 8 year old Vince lifting an enormous change chug out of his fathers closet and lugging it out of the room. BACK TO VINCE The audio cuts out as Vince continues to tell his story. He is smoking and drinking terrible coffee, which we can discern from the look on his face. VINCE When I was 13 I worked in an Italian Restaurant. My Boss used to run these poker games after work. He was a terrible poker player. Pretty much just drank and threw his money away. One weekend my friend and I took him for $3000 each in a three man game. We set the deck up on every deal and my buddy was wearing a belt loaded with aces. MONTAGE Vince and his friend playing poker against an old, drunk Italian man. They look each other in the eyes as Vince shuffles the cards, then deals from the bottom of the deck. Vinces friend rakes in a huge pot.

84. A shot of Vinces friends waist and his hands pulling 3 aces out of what seems to be a homemade belt with cards in little sleeves all around it. Vince and his friend come to a halt on a side street in Vinces car and pull wads of cash out of their pockets. CUT TO: BACK TO VINCE Vince continues with his his story. We are silent. Shots of the faces of GA members horrified listening Vinces story. VINCE When I was 15.... Silent. Then cut forward. VINCE When I was in College. Silent. Vince puts out a cigarette in an ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts. Vinces story comes to a close and he gets a round of APPLAUSE... CUT TO: INT. 101 DINER - SAME Vince and Johnny in the booth. JOHNNY Are you still going? VINCE No. Its that old Groucho Marx joke. I wouldnt want to belong to any club that would have me as a member. JOHNNY What about the ladies?

85. VINCE Im Clooneying it from here on in. Dating other women is just too depressing. CUT TO: INT. SPORTS BAR - EVENING Vince is at the bar with a date. to Vinces charm. She seems bored and immune

VINCE So you dont gamble by any change do ya? DATE Gamble? Are you serious? Do I look like the type or something. dont understand?

VINCE Well Ive got 2k on the Giants here and if they win Ill take you out to a nice Steak Dinner. DATE Im a vegetarian. Why dont you just get a real job? Vince flashes a fake smile. Hes miserable.

INT. COMMERCE CASINO - EVENING Vince is sitting at a poker table. He is drunk as he orders another drink from cocktail waitress. VINCE Hey sweetie bring me another one these Double Grey Goose things and tell the bartender not be shy with the olives. And take a look here. Vince brings up a photo of the house in the Hills on his cell phone and shows it to the waitress. VINCE(CONTD) I want you to round up a couple of your friends. (MORE)

86. VINCE(CONTD) Im having a pool party tonight at my place in the Hills. Well all get naked and slap each other around real nice. EXT. ROSSS POOLHOUSE - DAY Vince is passed out in a float with an empty bottle of Grey Goose on his lap. A few cocktail waitresses swim around him. A couple of them swim up to each other and make out. INT. THE POOLHOUSE - EVENING Vince is laying in bed talking on his cellphone. VINCE The weathers beautiful out here. Yeah this place is ridiculous. My living room is an olympic size pool. Yeah. So I hear your Ted Dansons personal assistant out on the Vineyard. Well tell Mayday I like his work. Yeah well Listen I want you to come out here. This place could be a fresh start for us. Really? Then Im gonna come out there and get you.

EXT. PAWN SHOP - DAY Vince walks into the pawn shop. INT. PAWN SHOP - DAY Vince is handed a little box. He opens it to reveal his grandmothers wedding ring he had been carrying around with him. EXT. U.S. AIRSPACE - DAY Shot of an airplane in mid-flight. EXT. MASSACHUSETTES - DAY Shot of a moving Bonanza bus.

87. EXT. MARTHAS VINEYARD WATERS - DAY Shot of a moving freight ferry. INT. COFFEE SHOP ON MARTHAS VINEYARD - DAY Vince is in line on his cellphone. VINCE Yeah Im here. Where? Here on Marthas Vineyard. No this is not a joke. Hold on. Vince hands the phone to the counter coffee girl. VINCE Just say where you work. COFFEE GIRL Hi umm Im Aquinnah and I work at Mocha Motts here in Vineyard Haven. VINCE Ok thats enough. He grabs the phone back VINCE So... What am I doing here? I came here to see you... Well listen I took a plane, a bus, and a fucking ferry so the least you can do is meet me.... Well cant you come down here? Tell Mayday youre going out to grab him a coffee or something.... He doesnt drink coffee? Well tell him youre hungry and youre going in to town to grab a meatloaf. Come on you can come up with something. OK. Alright. Vince hangs up. VINCE (to coffee girl) Give me triple Ice Bomb. We pull back and reveal a line of customers out the door behind him.

88. EXT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY Vince sits at the table sipping on an ice bomb. There are two other empty ice bomb cups on the table. Neely arrives. They hug and she sits down. She looks great. Hey. Hi. VINCE NEELY

VINCE You look beautiful. NEELY Oh no I just lost a little weight. Got a little color thats all. Awkward silence. NEELY Well you look good. VINCE Working out ya know. Every day. Ya Gotta. Im curling 200. Listen Ive been doing a lot of thinking and I think we should get married. Vince takes the wedding ring out of his pocket and places it in front of Neely. NEELY Vince what are you doing? VINCE Whats it look like Im doing baby Im proposing to you. NEELY Yeah Vince. Thats not a good idea. VINCE Why not? What are you doing out here? Running errands for fucking Becker? Thats no life. Im telling you we should get married and live in LA for a bit. Im getting some great feedback on my script. And you should be writing too. We could be a power couple out there. Like Joanie Didion and Johnny Dunne. (MORE)

89. VINCE (cont'd) You should read her early essays by the way. NEELY Im not moving to LA. Im moving back to New York next month. Ted has a new show thats starting production. And Im starting Grad School at Columbia in the spring for Creative Writing. VINCE Thats great Neels. GREs. em? Neely nods. NEELY Nailed it. Just like Greg Lougainus. VINCE Thats mine. Dont plagiarize. Neely chuckles slightly breaking her distant pose for an instant. VINCE You see come on Neely. You love me. I know it. Who ya gonna find that can make you laugh like I do. NEELY Well Im dating a comedian right now. Hes pretty funny too Vince. VINCE Im sure hes the shit. Beat. NEELY Look Vince. Im sorry. I dont want to hurt you. But this is just not gonna happen. I dont know what else to say. Im sorry you flew all this way but thats how I feel. VINCE Flew, bussed, and took a fucking freight boat. NEELY I have to go. Nailed

90. VINCE So thats it. Thats it. NEELY

VINCE Alright. Well make sure you dont make an ass out of me in your first novel. NEELY If anything Ill romanticize you all out of proportion. VINCE Yeah. Ok then. Hug me up one last time. Neely and Vince embrace. Neely, a little choked up, lets go, turns, and walks away. FADE OUT EXT. BELMONT PARK - DAY Two actors, who closely resemble Vince and Neely, are at the track. They are well dressed sitting in the outdoor boxed seats at the clubhouse. They stand and begin to cheer. VINCE ACTOR Come on Baby. Prado whip that sonovabitch. The actors jump up and down cheering as the horses approach the finish line. Prado holds with the 2 horse. NEELY ACTOR Yes baby we won. VINCE ACTOR Damn right we did baby. A shitload. NEELY ACTOR I love you. VINCE ACTOR I love you too. Marry me. Oh baby. They make out. NEELY ACTOR Of course Ill marry you.

A few people around them applaud.

91. NEELY ACTOR Lets move to Brooklyn and become novelists. VINCE ACTOR Better yet lets move to Brooklyn and become failed novelists. NEELY ACTOR Oh baby youre so romantic. VINCE ACTOR Goddamm right I am. They kiss again. We pull out to reveal a camera crew. We are on set. VINCE Cut! Print! I think we got it. Vince looks into the camera. VINCE My first film. Small budget... 3 million. I think itll make a shit load though. Love sells. Oh and I got some great people behind the project. We pan over to Zoltan in a three piece suit. ZOLTAN Thats a rap people. Johnny Ill see you at the pool table in an hour. Johnny is in the corner showing the craft service girl his website. VINCE As for Neely... I did run into her one last time. It was at an OTB in New York on Derby day, which I took as a minor victory. CUT TO: Vince approaches Neely and the man shes with. He gives her a hug and shakes his hand.

92. VINCE Interestingly enough she was living in Cobble Hill and doing a little research for her first book. I bet it will sell. BACK TO VINCE VINCE And me? I stayed away from the numbers long enough to get this done. But hey old habits die hard. And honestly... I love this shit. Vinces cell phone rings. VINCE Yeah. OK go ahead. Vince grabs a notebook to his right and opens it. VINCE Yeah the Suns are 5. OK 200 suns. The Knicks are a pick em. 200 Knicks. You got it baby. We pull back and pan over beautiful Belmont Park and into a shot of New York City across the river. THE END

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