RICK meets CLARE @ Ridge’s
CLARE stops in to see HENRY on college break. RICK still pictures her ponytails n all. Now not so much.
HENRY
RICK, you remember my cousin CLARE?
RICK
Maybe.
HENRY
She’ll be coming by here later to get a key to the house.
RICK
Why here?
HENRY
I’ll be down the docks, scadge-ing for work. That’s no place for a college girl like her.
RICK
True. Pearl before swine.
HENRY
Easy, Rick.
(Clare arrives Ridge’s. Encounters ALICE, asks for RICK.)
ALICE
I’ll go get him.
(Goes to bathroom where RICK is under sink trying to fix plumbing broken pipe. Cranky. Wet. Dirty.)
Ricky, there’s someone to see you.
RICK
Who?
ALICE
Says her name is CLARE. Charming. Must have the wrong “Rick.”
RICK
Oh that’s Henry’s little-girl cousin here for the key.
Reaches in pocket, gets key, hands it up to ALICE.
Give this to her.
ALICE
She asked for you.
RICK
Uh, can’t you see I’m a little busy.
ALICE
I think you really ought to go out there.
Alice leans over, conspiratorially. You might want to put on a clean shirt, too. RICK dries hands on shirt. Walks out to bar area.
RICK
Here you go, here’s the key Henry left for you.
Rick looks up. Pause, clear RICK is struck
CLARE
Oh, thank you.
Looks around Ridge’s
Is this Henry’s second home I hear about?
RICK
When he’s not pretending to find work down on the docks, he pretends to do work around here. He’s got no future in Hollywood.
CLARE
I hear you play piano here.
RICK
Oh, no Miss. That’s Sam, though we are often taken one for the other. Say, how long are you in town?
CLARE
Oh, I have an internship with Time Magazine for the whole summer
RICK
Maybe we could go out sometime. Have you been to Coney Island lately?
CLARE
Never.
Shock, disbelief register on Rick.
RICK
You raised in a barn?
CLARE
No, but not for trying. I grew up in Westchester County. Cows, chickens, goats, more cows. Can’t even spell Coney.
RICK
I knew Henry had some hillbilly in him.
