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Continued from previous page…
SUFFY
Charlotte…
I can sense it again.
CHARLOTTE
What?
What can you sense?
SUFFY
Your spirit…
Your other being…
It’s emerging.
CHARLOTTE
(testing her)
I thought you said
it disappeared?
SUFFY
Well, it’s back.
I can feel it…
I can also smell it.
CHARLOTTE
(offended)
I smell?!
How fucking wonderful
is that! I didn’t know this
shit made me smell.
SUFFY
(calmingly)
Don’t worry, it’s not
body odor.. It’s more
like burnt hair.. or
rubber… And only I can
smell it.
CHARLOTTE
Only you can smell it?
Jeezus, Suffy, this is
ridiculous.. What kind
of powers do you have?
SUFFY
I told you. I’ve had them
since I was a kid…
(faithfully)
It wasn’t always a pleasant
experience, I can assure you.
CHARLOTTE
(sympathetically)
Why? What happened?
SUFFY
I got picked-on a lot…
The other kids were
pretty mean.
CHARLOTTE
Join the club.
SUFFY
You?
CHARLOTTE
Of course…
I was extremely shy
and withdrawn…
It’s not a good quality…
I had my share of torment.
SUFFY
I’m sorry…
I didn’t know.
CHARLOTTE
I’m sorry for you too.
There is a
long pause
for reflection.
SUFFY
But, now, look at you…
You perform onstage..
You speak at different
economic forums…
Life’s funny, isn’t it?
CHARLOTTE
(smiling)
It sure is…
I would’ve never thought
in a million years I’d ever
be like this when I was a kid…
And my dad was in television.
SUFFY
You guys sure like to
mention that a lot.
CHARLOTTE
Well, it’s the greatest
invention of all time,
isn’t it?
SUFFY
Television is the greatest
invention of all time?
CHARLOTTE
Of course.
What could be
more important?
Suffy ponders
this for a moment.
SUFFY
Well.. Ya’ know, Char..
On behalf of all the fat,
disgusting, hairy, smelly,
beer-drinking, pizza-eating,
belching, crack-scratching,
can’t-fuck-their-wives
anymore, straight men in
this world…
I’d have to agree with ya.’
CHARLOTTE
Suffy, my friend..
I think you just
summed-up 1980’s America
in one, beautiful sentence…
If I had a glass in my hand,
I’d toast ya.’
Suffy raises
an imaginary
glass.
SUFFY
Here, here.
Suffy pauses
and starts
to notice a
change.
SUFFY
It’s dissipating, isn’t it?
Your condition.
CHARLOTTE
Yeah, it is.. A little bit…
Oh, Suffy, what am I gonna
do? How am I gonna get
rid of this thing?
SUFFY
I don’t know. I wish I had
the answer for you… I’m not
an expert on mental disorders…
All I can say is that your best
interests are to keep taking
your prescribed medicines, and
for God’s sake, get yourself into
therapy right away.. don’t drag
your feet on this.. The longer
you wait, the worse it’s gonna get.
CHARLOTTE
I don’t know… I’m scared.
SUFFY
Scared of what? Is it
because you’re a celebrity?
Are you worried about
being exposed?
CHARLOTTE
(acknowledges)
Mostly.
SUFFY
Oh, Charlotte, you shouldn’t
be afraid of something like
that. These programs are
incredibly discreet… Nobody’s
gonna know you’re involved.
Plus, you’ve got the money to
make it really discreet.
CHARLOTTE
I guess…
I suppose I shouldn’t
put it off any longer, huh?
SUFFY
No, you shouldn’t.
CHARLOTTE
Okay.
Another
long pause.
SUFFY
You know… there is one
other thing I could suggest…
It’s a supplemental thing..
and I couldn’t recommend it
without sounding like a
hypocrite.
CHARLOTTE
(curiously)
What’s that?
SUFFY
God.
CHARLOTTE
God?
I thought you didn’t
believe in God?
SUFFY
I don’t… But that has nothing
to do with it… Just because I
don’t practice a formal,
recognized religion, doesn’t
mean I don’t understand the
power that it encapsulates…
I’m sure you’re aware of what
A.A. preaches, aren’t you?
CHARLOTTE
Yeah.
SUFFY
A lot of those people in drug
and alcohol rehab have
no ability whatsoever to cope
with their problems all by
themselves… And mortal
human-beings can only help
them to a certain degree as well…
That’s why they turn to a
higher power… Sometimes
referred to as God.
CHARLOTTE
I’m aware of all that.
SUFFY
Well, there ya’ go…
God will help you
if you let him, Charlotte…
I’m not saying he can cure
you of your physical ailments..
but he can be by your side if
you let him into your life.
CHARLOTTE
(wry smile)
You sound like you’re
speaking from experience.
SUFFY
As a matter of fact, I am…
I’ve met a lot of religious people
through the years.. through the
course of my studies… And the
one’s who truly believe.. have a
sense of smugness that they carry
around with them all the time.
CHARLOTTE
Really?
SUFFY
Absolutely…
And it’s all because they’re
cloaked in the arms of God…
There’s nothing wrong with that…
Whatever makes them happy
is alright with me.
CHARLOTTE
(skeptically)
Doesn’t that.. interfere with
your affinity for.. Satan?
SUFFY
(somewhat insulted)
Charlotte, come on.
Really?
CHARLOTTE
What?
If you believe in Satan, you
have to believe in God.
That’s just simple logic…
It only makes sense.
SUFFY
(pauses to confess)
I don’t believe in Satan,
either, alright?
It’s all a bunch of bullshit.
CHARLOTTE
(triumphant smile)
Hahaha, you’re busted, honey.
You ain’t no Mistress
of the Dark.
SUFFY
Charlotte, gimme a break…
You told me three months ago,
at my house, that I was just a
character.. just like everybody
else here in Hollywood.. Well..
Surprise!! You nailed it!
I just hope you can keep
everything to yourself…
Ya’ know? In the same
way I’m keeping everything
you tell me a secret.
CHARLOTTE
(concedes happily)
Suffy, please. I have no
intentions of telling anyone…
All your secrets are safe with me.
SUFFY
You know.. contrary to
public opinion.. I’m not
interested in a violent,
chaotic world… I love my
life.. And I love people…
I subscribe to the ol’
“The world is a fantastic
place theory… The ultimate,
absurd circus…”
And I don’t mind admitting to
you that I’d love it to continue
forever.
Charlotte is
entranced.
CHARLOTTE
Ya’ know…
You make a lot of sense…
Maybe I should have you
as one of my business
partners.
Suffy changes
her disposition.
SUFFY
I would love that.
Whadya’ got in mind?
CHARLOTTE
You tell me.
SUFFY
How bout’ this hotel?
CHARLOTTE
What?
The Roosevelt?
Are you kiddin’ me?
SUFFY
Sure.. I heard it was
for sale… Why don’t
we go in as partners?
CHARLOTTE
(wide-eyed)
Do you know why
it’s for sale?
SUFFY
No.. what’s
wrong with it?
CHARLOTTE
Everything!
Cost over-runs, expensive
upkeep.. infrastructure
problems.. A lack of
customers… Believe me, Suff,
you don’t want to buy this
hotel.
SUFFY
But I can bring the
customers back!
I can turn things around.
CHARLOTTE
(doubtful)
And just how do you
plan on doing that?
SUFFY
We can turn it into a
horror hotel… We can
put my picture on top
of the building!
CHARLOTTE
(blinking)
Do you realize what
you just said?
SUFFY
(laughing)
I’m just kidding…
No, no, I’m serious, Char…
We can give it a spiritual,
spooky theme… Just like all
the urban legends this place
has conjured up through
the years. People will be
totally drawn to it…
It’ll bring in the tourists.
CHARLOTTE
(amused)
I.. I appreciate your lovely
sense of adventure, Suff.
I really do… I think about
stuff like that all the time.
SUFFY
Then you know what I’m
talking about! We’re on the
same page! I didn’t know a
serious businesswoman like
yourself thought about stuff
like that.
CHARLOTTE
Oh, sure. Of course.. I’m
still an artist, ya’ know— first
and foremost— But, I’m afraid
the city of Los Angeles won’t
let you get away with something
like that.
SUFFY
(thoroughly disappointed)
What? Why not?
This is private property.
CHARLOTTE
I know, I know…
But it’s not that simple…
They still have a say in
what’s best for the city…
And I can assure you..
because I’ve dealt with
them before… that they’re
not gonna go for a
“horror hotel” in the middle
of their beautiful city…
Even though this is La-La-Land,
they’re a lot more conservative
than you think…
Which.. actually.. is a good
thing for someone like me.
SUFFY
(dejected)
Oh, man…
That sucks.
CHARLOTTE
(sympathetic)
I know it does.
Charlotte
drapes her
arm around
Suffy’s shoulder.
CHARLOTTE
But, hey, listen…
I like the way you think…
Why don’t you drop by my
office some time next week
and we’ll talk about some
things, okay? … I’m sure
we can find some projects
for you to work on…
A creative mind like yours.
SUFFY
(overwhelmed)
Really?
CHARLOTTE
(condescendingly)
Suuure… I can always use
a bright, young assistant
such as yourself…
Whad’ya say?
SUFFY
(humbled)
Okay…
Thanks, Charlotte.
CHARLOTTE
Think nothing of it…
Now, why don’t we go get
Kathy and get the hell out
of here… You can stay as
long as you want, of course…
And we’ll take care of this
hypnotism stuff over at
my home.. okay?
Suffy is not
fooled. She
knows a phony
come-on when
she hears one.
Offer or not,
she decides
to turn the
tables on
the all-mighty
Charlotte.
SUFFY
(suspicious)
Yeah.. yeah…
Ya’ know.. Charlotte…
Do you still want to go
ahead with this hypnotism?
Are you sure about that?
CHARLOTTE
Of course. Absolutely…
If it’ll help me.
Suffy turns
to address
Charlotte
directly.
SUFFY
Then, can I ask
you a question?
CHARLOTTE
Sure, go ahead.
SUFFY
Why do you want to
hypnotize Kathy?
Copyright 2024
by Clark Wright
(725) 329-4241