week 8

Green and Purple Grapes of the Gods
EXT. MAIN ST, WATERVILLE. LATE MORNING.
Strolling along the Concourse streets, Rocky examines the wares at the street bake sale held by the local religious factions. Here he is soothed and he can chat the church ladies up. Scones and dry plums sit at the table.
ROCKY
Good morning to you. How are you?
FIRST CHURCH LADY
Fine.
(She doesn't smile.)
Rocky moves on. He knows where
He won't find any company. Her
Food is a lot like her personality.
ROCKY
Nice looking crust.
SECOND CHURCH LADY
Why thank you. Would you like a pie?
ROCKY
I can't. It would be a waste as it's only me at home to eat it.
SECOND CHURCH LADY
What a shame.
Rocky moves along, knowing she doesn't want to help him either. Rocky spies some crazily decorated cookies and cupcakes. Standing next to them is a woman with long loose hair and crazed eyes. Worth a second look, he thinks.
ROCKY
Very slick.
CRAZY CHURCH LADY
Bless him. What can I sell you this morning?
ROCKY
Just tire-kickin', I'm afraid.
CRAZY CHURCH LADY
Oh.
(Her eyes unfocus and the crazy look reappears.)
Rocky liked that look better than the focused one.
ROCKY
What have you got to tempt me?
Behind ROCKY,
LILITH
The serpent tempted me and I ate.
Rocky turns and sees a woman with a tiny dancer’s body, helmet of dark hair and green eyes holding a pitcher of what appears to be grape juice.
ROCKY
The serpent beguiled me and I did eat. Maybe it’s different for U-U’s. But you can’t beat the KJV for poetry.
LILITH
'Beguiled’ is a nice touch, I admit. What can I beguile you with?
(She smiles with the air of an accomplished flirt.)
ROCKY
Anything at all. What have you got?
(Smiles back.)
LILITH
How about the Green and Purple Grapes of the Gods? Right out of the cooler in my car.
(She clinks ice together in the pitcher.)
ROCKY
Green and purple grapes of God?
LILITH
That’s what it’s called, but I’m not giving recipes or information away to free-riders.
ROCKY
Tire-kickers.
LILITH
Exactly. A dollar to satisfy your curiosity and your thirst.
(Both smile, insolent and bold.)

ROCKY
An offer like that, I’d be a fool not to.
Rocky pays her some money, take a sip, chokes and coughs a little.
ROCKY
You made this yesterday?
(Eyes watering.)
LILITH
Does that matter?
(Defensive)

ROCKY
It's starting to ferment.
LILITH
It’s been refrigerated.
(Sounding annoyed and skeptical)
ROCKY
Depends on the yeasts on the grapes. Some of them can kick in at very low temperatures.
LILITH
You sound very expert. Homebrewer, winemaker?
(Dismissive of his pastimes.)
ROCKY
In my dark past. Never again, pray god.
Rocky hands her the cup and she drinks from it.
LILITH
Oh shit. Let me get you a refund.
(Apologetic)
ROCKY
Why don’t you use that buck towards a cup of coffee for me when you get off here?
She smiles coyly.
LILITH
Sorry, this money is for fundraising. It just wouldn't be right.
ROCKY
I suppose it’ll have to be my treat then. Coffee Shack? When are you done?
She checks out his shoes and jeans without her smile. Appraising the merchandise.
LILITH
I don't think so.
Rocky isn't bothered by the brush-off. He had told murderers and rapists that if they even looked him up after they were released he would kill them.
ROCKY
I thought we could trade recipes. You’d tell me the secrets of Green and Purple Grapes of the Gods, and I’d tell you how to make pruno.
LILITH
Pruno?
ROCKY
Pruno. Juice, jump, jack, brew, chalk, buck, jailhouse hooch. From back in the day. ‘I fought the law and the law won.’
She stands and pulls the hem of her shift down before sitting again.
LILITH
Have you had much luck with that?
ROCKY
As a pick-up line? Some. Wait til you see my homemade tattoos.
She laughs. Offers him her hand.
LILITH
I'm Lilith.
ROCKY
Rocky.
LILITH
My ex-con is named Rocky?
Rocky hears the possessive pronoun for sure.
LILITH
Eleven it is then and please be a gentleman.
Rocky's eyes suddenly fill with tears for a reason he can't describe so he nods and walks away quickly.
INT. LILITHS APARTMENT. ONE WEEK LATER. DINNER TIME. - EVENING
Her refrigerator appalled him. Inside was a nearly-empty bottle of Gallo pinot gris, another of Poland Spring still water, a shriveled beefsteak tomato, the remains of the lemons she’d stripped the zest from for the Green and Purple Grapes of the Gods, and a two-foot square marble pastry board.
ROCKY
Are you anorexic?
He already knew her answer, refusal, denial and she wouldn't stoop that low to answer a question like that.
Rocky hauls out the pastry board.
ROCKY
Can I tempt you?
LILITH
You already beguile me enough, my Sicilian serpent.
(Leans against him)
ROCKY
Cannoli? Pasticciotti? Sfogliatelle?
LILITH
Can you do anything outside the boot?
ROCKY
Yo, lady, howsabout a cheese danish?
She is unfazed by his comments.
LILITH
I'm going to make zucchini fritters for dinner and whatever else goes with them.
A nice swordfish steak went with them, since he was in Hannaford anyway buying pastry flour. And a decent sauvignon blanc. Some espresso. A few other things whose existence still seemed a miracle.
Lilith ignored his cannoli. He noticed but was helpless to say anything.
LILITH
How did a nice guy like you end up in jail?
ROCKY
The papers called me the ‘Gentleman Bank Robber.’ Typed notes, perfect grammar and punctuation, factual without being threatening. Always a charming smile for the tellers.
LILITH
(Questioning)
I don’t mean to frighten you, and I apologize in advance, but I am armed. Please fill the bag. I don’t want to hurt anyone. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
ROCKY
Like that. The actual instructions were a little more technical. One wants the bag filled with certain things, not others. I was at the Augusta branch of Key Bank. I passed the note and two seconds later I was flat on the floor, a gun in my ear, getting cuffed. The guy behind me in line was an off-duty state trooper.
LILITH
(Snorts out loud)
What did you do?
ROCKY
I shouted, ‘Help, I’m being mugged.’ Then he shouted, ‘I’m a cop!’ And I shouted, “ID, show me some ID.’ Next thing I knew, I was in a six-by-nine making pruno.
LILITH
(Giggles, holding her hand to her mouth.)
And now you're a pastry chef.
ROCKY
Cannoli, pasticciotti, sfogliatelle, millefoligie-
LILITH
And I’m a college professor.
ROCKY
(Deadpan expression on his face)
And I’m a Sicilian.
LILITH
(same expression on hers)
And I’m a WASP.
ROCKY
And I love food.
LILITH
(Not smiling)
And I’m anorexic.
ROCKY
(Same serious tone being used)
And I’m a charming sociopath.
LILITH
Are you?
ROCKY
I don’t think so. Hard to know.
LILITH
(Mock awe)
You sure charmed your way into my panties.
ROCKY
(Mock seriousness)
That would just be a first step for the charming sociopath. He’d be poking around, digging up your social security and credit card numbers, trying to figure out how much you were worth….
LILITH
Are you doing that?
Rocky stand, walks around the table where he kneels and lays his head on her lap.
ROCKY
Charming my way into your panties seems enough.
LILITH
(Her eyes sad and somber)
So this is just a slight and sweet confection. And that’s all.
ROCKY
(Just a serious as her)
Lilith, try one of my confections before you let your analogies ride off in a dozen directions.
Her hand--delicate, graceful, and expressive--reached toward the plate. She did not let her eyes leave his face. She picked up the cannoli. And she did eat.