Poetic Justice

LUCKY

Which one?

CHICAGO

J and B on Manchester?

LUCKY

... You out your mind!

CHICAGO

He had the beard, tha voice, everything. He bought a forty of Red Bull.

LUCKY

You saw Marvin Gaye in the liquor store, buying a forty? You stupid muthafucka!

The truck makes a funny noise.

CHICAGO

(rushing his head)

It's thirsty. Pull the second tank.

Lucky pulls a knob. The car makes another weird noise. Chicago and Lucky look at each other, bewildered.

BACK OF TRUCK

Justice and Iesha look at each other. Justice is making shapes with a piece of string.

LUCKY

Empty. I thought you filled 'em.

CHICAGO

I thought you did.

Lucky gives him a look that reads "You stupid muthafucka."

CUT TO:

EXT. ROADSIDE COFFEE AND GAS – DAY

Where we see the truck pull into one of the stations. In the background we see an eigh teen-wheeler semi truck pull into the other side.

ANOTHER ANGLE

As Lucky hops out of the truck. He walks toward the back of the truck, just as Iesha and Justice open the back doors. We hold on them for a moment.

IESHA

Good, now I can get me some liquor!

They walk past as we follow them and end on Chicago.

CHICAGO

Hey, hey, don't get crazy now! And buy me a forty and some Cheetos!

The girls walk on. Iesha waves off Chicago.

LUCKY (O.S.)

You need to put her in check! C'mon, let's hurry up. Try to stay on schedule for a change. Fuck that CP time!

THE PUMP – OPPOSITE SIDE

A foot steps out of the cab. A pair of gloves are taken off, revealing worn callused hands. The same hands unscrew the cap off the truck's massive gas tank.

ONE SIDE OF THE GAS

Where we see Lucky's hand grab the handle. Another hand grabs at the same time.

LUCKY

Looks up to see. A large white Trucker. Checked shirt, suspenders, big leather boots. There is a short moment between Lucky and the trucker.

LUCKY

You mind?

The Trucker nods, indicating that he doesn't. He continues to study Lucky.

OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PUMP

Where Lucky inserts the nozzle into the tank and begins to pump the gas.

CUT TO:

INT. ROADSIDE COFFEE AND GAS – DAY – THE FREEZER

Where Iesha is selecting liquor.

IESHA

I gotta have my Gordon's and Socko. Justice, check that freezer, see if they got some Super Socko... Hey, they don't have Old E! Y'all don't have no Old English?

THE COUNTER

Where the cashier throws his hands up, indicating that they don't carry.

JUSTICE

Girl, don't you know they don't sell that outside of Black neighborhoods?

IESHA

Oh yeah, I forgot. Oh well, Chicago gonna have to settle for a Miller Light.

JUSTICE

Don't get too crazy now. You know how you get when you drink. You heard what your man said.

IESHA

Chicago?! I don't listen to him. He ain't my daddy!

JUSTICE

He's supposed to be your man, though.

IESHA

Sheeehit! I got him sprung! I be making that fool stutter. You know he start stuttering when he lying and shit.

CUT TO:

EXT. ROADSIDE COFFEE AND GAS – DAY – CLOSE – CHICAGO

CHICAGO

Now, now, now, wait, wait, wait, see, see, see!

ANOTHER ANGLE

LUCKY

Money?! You give her money?!

CHICAGO

Just sometimes. I like my woman to have tha best.

LUCKY

You getting played! How much o' that coochie she be giving up?

EXT. ROADSIDE COFFEE AND GAS – DAY – BACK TO STORE

IESHA

I don't hardly have to do nothing. I be rationing it to 'em.

JUSTICE

Rationing tha booty!

(laughs)

EXT. ROADSIDE COFFEE AND GAS – DAY – BACK TO PUMP

CHICAGO

Aw, nigga, I be knocking that shit out every other day. She can't get enough o' me.

EXT. ROADSIDE COFFEE AND GAS – DAY BACK TO STORE

IESHA

That nigga is weak! Ain't got no rhythm! Plus, he a preemie! You know what a preemie is? Two-minute brotha.

Justice laughs.

EXT. ROADSIDE COFFEE AND GAS – DAY – BACK TO PUMP

LUCKY

You paying for it!

CHICAGO

Wait, wait, wait!

LUCKY

Naw, nigga, you can't say shit! You paying for it! Paging for tha poon!

He glances across the pump.

THE TRUCK

Where the Trucker stands patiently with his arms folded.

LUCKY

Be done in a second, cuzz.

The Trucker waits. Arms folded.

EXT. ROADSIDE COFFEE AND GAS – DAY – BACK TO STORE

Justice is at the counter.

JUSTICE

You got everything?

IESHA

Yeah. So what you think of Lucky?

JUSTICE

I don't. Look.

She points to a display where we see some toy water guns.

IESHA

Oooow!

The cashier has finished. He has a total.

CASHIER

That'll be $15.35.

Justice walks back over to the counter.

JUSTICE (O.S.)

I got it. Iesha, pick up some o'those blow bubbles, too.

CUT TO:

EXT. ROADSIDE COFFEE AND GAS – DAY

Where we see Justice burst out of the store laughing. She turns and begins squirting water at Iesha. We travel with them back to the truck as Iesha playfully squirts Chicago. He starts running after her. He catches her, and they affectionately play with each other. The contrast of their play to the tension between Lucky and Justice is apparent. They share a quiet, uncomfortable glance. Justice gets into the passenger seat.

LUCKY

(to Chicago and Iesha)

Get in tha truck! We don't have all day! Shit! I gotta be somewhere.

He walks around the side of the truck.

THE PUMP

Where the Trucker begins pumping his gas.

EXT. ROADSIDE COFFEE AND GAS – DAY

Where we see the truck take off once more.

INT. THE TRUCK – DAY – THE BACK

Where Iesha and Chicago are kicking it. Chicago looks bored. Iesha is mixing the gin with the Super Socko.

IESHA

Drink some o' this.

She hands him the Super Socko. Chicago takes a squig.

IESHA

Drink some more. To the middle.

Chicago takes a couple more drinks. He checks for the level of Socko left. Iesha takes the bottle back and fills it with gin. She then proceeds to shake it up.

CHICAGO

Lemme have my forty.

He looks in the bag.

IESHA

They didn't have no Old E.

Chicago looks frustrated. Iesha has finished her concoction. She samples her work. Taking a small sip from the bottle.

IESHA

Mmmmmm.

She passes the bottle to Chicago, who takes a sip. Over their drinking we hear Justice's voice.

JUSTICE (V.O.)

"Love is a juice with many tastes. Some bitter, others sweet. A wine which has few..."

INT. THE TRUCK – FRONT – DAY

JUSTICE'S NOTEBOOK

Where we see her hand write.

JUSTICE (V.O.)

"... few... vineyards."

Justice is lost in thought. Where to go from here?
 

LUCKY

Takes notice of her writing out of the corner of his eye.

JUSTICE

Notices Lucky looking at her periodically. She takes particular notice of his dirty nasty fingernails.

JUSTICE

Your fingernails are dirty.

Lucky looks at his fingernails. He seems kinda self-conscious and moves his hands to another part of the steering wheel.

LUCKY

What you writing?

JUSTICE

(a beat)

Stuff.

There is an uneasy space of time between them. They look at each other out of the corner of their eyes. They almost make eye contact.

EXT. THE ROAD – DAY

Where we see the truck zoom up the road and into the distance.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. THE TRUCK – DAY – THE BACK

Where Chicago and Iesha settle in the back seat letting the liquor take its effect.

CHICAGO

Say you love me.

IESHA

Why?