Poetic Justice

WIDE
 

As we see the truck turn in the street to make a U.

EXT. CRENSHAW BOULEVARD – DAY

Where we see the truck go up the street and end on a Crenshaw sign. They are leaving their part of the city.

INT. THE TRUCK – DAY

From inside we see the overpass of the 10 freeway come up.

INSERT

The 10 freeway West.

A TRAFFIC LIGHT

Which we hear and see turn red.

EXT. CORNER OF ADAMS AND CRENSHAW – DAY

Where we see the truck come to stop.

THE TRUCK

Where Lucky waits for the light. He looks over on the other side of the street.

THE BUS STOP

Where an OLD WOMAN gets her pocketbook stolen.

BACK TO LUCKY

Who makes an expression that reads "Oh, well." There is no shock on his face. That's the way of the world, as Earth, Wind and Fire says.

EXT. THE TRUCK – DAY

Iesha and Chicago affectionately play with each other, Iesha gives him a couple of love taps.

CHICAGO

(laughs)

You can't make your mind up whether you wanna kiss me or hit me, huh? That your way of saying you like my ass?

IESHA

(jokingly)

I don't.

CHICAGO

(makes a muscle)

Feel that. Feel that muscle. That's man stuff.

IESHA

That ain't shit.

Chicago grabs one of her breasts.

IESHA

Oww, shit! Muthafucka, don't be grabbing my tittie like that !

ANGLE ON JUSTICE

Who glances behind her back at Iesha and Chicago and then into the sideview mirror once again.

EXT. THE TEN FREEWAY – DAY – MONTAGE OF ROAD SIGNS

Of various signs along the 10 freeway At first we go past signs that reads "LA CIENEGA", "CENTURY CITY/BEVERLY HILLS", then we begin to read "405 NORTH SACRAMENTO". Different shots of the truck traveling between dissolves.

EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY – DAY

We start on a car as it comes in the other left-hand lane, and as it goes past, we WHIP PAN with it to reveal the truck. Lucky and Justice are in the front seat. Justice is obviously bored out of her mind. Lucky adjusts his vision from the road to her in an attempt to grab her attention.

INT. THE TRUCK – DAY

Lucky is driving. He looks at Justice out of the corner of his eye. Justice is looking out at the road. Her face is concealed behind sunglasses. We cannot tell if she is lost in the scenery or in her own world.

THE BACK

Where Chicago and Iesha are asleep. Iesha is cradled in his arms.

FRONT SEATS

Where there is virtual silence. All we can hear are the sounds of the engine, the road, and other passing cars. Lucky attempts to break the ice.

LUCKY

You kinda quiet, huh?

Justice doesn't say anything.

LUCKY

Guess so.

JUSTICE

Don't have nuthin to say.

LUCKY

Why you so mean? What you got to be so mean about?

Justice remains silent. She continues looking out the window.

LUCKY

Oh, so you one of them angry bitches, huh? A feminist. Justice turns around. Lucky has gotten her attention.

JUSTICE

What did you call me?

LUCKY

(matter of factly)

I said you a mean bitch.

JUSTICE

(taking off her glasses)

No, nigga! You don't call me no bitch! You don't know me! You don't know nothing about me!

LUCKY

I know you a bitch! Look at the way you actin. I been trying to act all courteous and shit, and I gotta call you a bitch to even get your damn attention!

JUSTICE

Fuck you, I ain't no bitch, I am a Black woman! I deserve respect! If I'm a bitch, yo momma's a bitch!

LUCKY

You a bitch! We ain't talking about my momma! We talking about you! Think you too fine to talk to nobody! L.A. bitches! I'm tired of'em!

Justice is fuming now.

JUSTICE

Let me out!

LUCKY

(coolly)

Where you gonna go, huh? Where you gonna go?

JUSTICE

Fuck you! I'll walk!

EXT. ROADSIDE – DAY

Where we see the truck pull to the side of the road. The passenger door opens, and Justice gets out, bag in hand.

LUCKY

Get tha fuck out then, bitch! Walk your ass home! It'll do them big-ass thighs of yours some good anyway! Cottage cheese legs! Justice turns, fuming mad. The last thing you should joke about with a woman is her weight, even if she has a nice body.

JUSTICE

I better not see your ass around L.A. 'cause I'm gonna get some niggas to fuck you up!

THE BACK OF THE TRUCK

Where Iesha wakes up from the sound of Justice and Lucky arguing. She mumbles, "What's going on?!"

JUSTICE

They gonna fuck you up!

LUCKY

Fuck you, bitch!

JUSTICE

Fuck you up!

This exchange goes on one more time, then Lucky cuts it off by abruptly closing the passenger door in Justice's face. Iesha pokes her head up from it.

IESHA

What you doing!? What's happening? Where my girl at?!

LUCKY

(shifting into first gear)

I'm leaving that bitch!

IESHA

Leaving her! You can't just leave my friend out here in the middle of nowhere?! Chicago! Chicago, wake up!

EXT. DESERT ROAD – DAY

From on HIGH we see the truck get back on the road and drive off as we COME DOWN to reveal Justice. She is pissed off beyond pisstivity!

INT. THE TRUCK – DAY

Where we see Lucky driving. He is pissed off also. He is thinking heavily about his actions.

IESHA (O.S.)

Chicago! Lucky left Justice! Lucky left Justice!

CHICAGO (O.S.)

So what! I'm trying to sleep!

IESHA (O.S.)

But he left her! He left her out in the middle of nowhere!

Chicago comes up close to the back of Lucky's head.

CHICAGO (O.S.)

Lucky. What's up, G?

Lucky sighs and looks into his side mirror.

WIPE:

EXT. DESERT ROAD – DAY – MINUTES LATER

Justice is in the foreground, and the truck is following along in the background. Iesha is trying to convince her to get into the truck.

IESHA

C'mon, Justice, get in the truck. Ain't you kinda hot? Lucky said he'd apologize.

LUCKY

Looks at Iesha. His face is about as nonapologetic as you can get. Ain't no apologies jumping off today.

IESHA

C'mon, Justice. J!

(sees something)

Justice walks past a big diamondback rattlesnake. She is so mad, she doesn't even notice it, Iesha plays it off and continues to call Justice.

IESHA

(turns to Lucky)

Justice! She get kinda stubborn sometimes. Stop the truck.

The truck stops, and Iesha gets out. Chicago gets into the front seat.

 
WIDE
 

As we see Iesha get out of the truck and walk over to her friend. Lucky exits the driver's side and goes to the back of the truck.

THE BACK OF THE TRUCK

Where Lucky opens the wide doors to let Justice and Iesha into the back.

Justice and Iesha come around the corner. The latter holds a consoling arm around her friend's shoulders. Justice and Lucky come face to face.

JUSTICE

(looks up and then with a mean face)

You still gonna get fucked up!

Iesha smiles and tries to laugh it off. The two women climb inside. Lucky begins to close the door, but not before giving his comeback to Justice's threat.

LUCKY

Frankly, my dear. I don't give a fuck.

INT. ROADSIDE – THE FOREST – DAY

INT. JESSIESCAR – DAY – HOOTCH MONTAGE

We see a pair of nails being fled with a nail filer. A compact mirror, where we see eye shadow being applied to a beautiful brown eye. A PAIR OF NAILS Are being painted bright red. The hand is brought up to reveal they belong to Colette. She admires her handiwork.

EXT. ROADSIDE – THE FOREST – DAY

Heywood walks up looking through the viewfinder of a small videocam.

VIDEOCAM POV

Where we see Jessie in the foreground standing next to her car. In the far background we can hear the rest of their party off in the woods. We should get the idea some of them are taking a leak.

JESSIE

It's not on. You gotta push the button.

HEYWOOD (V.O.)

What button?

JESSIE

The red one.

HEYWOOD (V.O.)

Oh, this button.

(pushes the button and the word REC flashes on the screen in the left-hand corner)

It's on. Showtime!

Jessie proceeds to act a fool and show off in front of the camera.

JESSIE

Well, here I am. It's me.

(coolly poses on her car and takes a toke of her cigarette)

In the wilderness. The wild blue yonder.

In the background we can see Dexter come out of the trees zipping up his pants. He calls back in the trees to one of the women.

DEXTER

Hey, Marine! I think I saw a snake back there. You better hope it don't bite your big ass!

JESSIE

They gettin close to nature.

(laughs)

Heywood laughs too, offscreen. He drops the camera.

WIPE:

EXT. THE TRUCK – DAY

Where Lucky and Chicago ride along in the front seat. Chicago is driving with one hand and brushing his head with the other. Chicago starts humming a few bars of a song. Lucky joins in with a bass beat from his mouth. We soon recognize the theme from Sanford and Son.

EXT. THE ROAD – DAY

We see the truck drive along.

INT. THE TRUCK – LATER

CHICAGO

I'm telling ya, it was him. Saw 'em in the liquor store.