by James Cage
HOLDING THE BRICKS
Screenplay
By
James Cage
Copyright © 2010 James Cage
TITLE CARD: JULY 4, 1976 - GUADALAJARA, MEXICO
EXT. STREET - GUADALAJARA - EVENING
It is early evening, dusk. It is the middle of the rainy season a hot, muggy July Saturday night.
An American medical student studying in Mexico, JAIME exits a movie theater. Jaime is twenty-seven years old, average height, brown eyes and hair. He is lean and muscular from years of weight training and exercise.
As he walks away, the Marquee TEATRO REFORMA is shown. The name of the movie and actor, VENGA A TOMAR UNA TAZA DE CAFE CON NOSOTROS, con UGO TOGNAZZI are displayed in Spanish.
VARIOUS ANGLES
Jaime strolls down the street, moderately crowded with Mexicans. He is a little tense. His eyes watch everything. Jaime is a loner and shy by nature. Jaime, blends into the streets of Guadalajara.
The background MUSIC is MEXICAN RANCHERO.
Jaime passes half a dozen Men eating tacos at a typical street cart. A joker has lightly scribbled CARNE DE PERRO on the side of the cart.
Jaime smiles slightly. He stops at the street corner SIGN, REFORMA and AVENIDA MUNGIA. A few cars drive by.
EXT. STREET - GUADALAJARA - MOMENTS LATER
A brown 1972 Volkswagen Beetle with California license plates pulls up and a voice shouts.
TOM (V.O.)
Jaime. Jaime!
TOM JENNER, the driver of the Volkswagen, sticks his head out the window. He makes a quick U-turn and pulls the car in front of Jaime.
Jaime opens the door and gets in.
INT. TOM'S VOLKSWAGON - NIGHT
Tom Jenner is also an American medical student studying in Mexico. He is in his early thirties. He is large in height and weight. Tom works his way through medical school by selling marijuana to the American community in Guadalajara. Tom is arrogant and sure of himself.
TOM
(Midwestern accent)
Jaime, what do you know about cocaine?
JAIME
(Slight North Jersey accent)
Not too much, Tom.
American Rock and Roll Music by War plays on the radio. "All my friends know the low rider, The low rider is a little higher, Low rider drives a little slower, Low rider is a real goer."
EXT. STREET - GUADALAJARA - NIGHT
Tom drives the VW through traffic down Avenida La Paz, spins the car around the FIRE-EATER in the middle of the road, cuts a right turn, then zigzags through side streets, passes the PLAZA DEL SOL shopping mall and finally reaches his house. He pulls the car into the driveway. Tom and Jaime get out of the car.
EXT. TOM'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Tom's home is located in a quiet community behind the shopping mall. His newly built house has chopped glass cemented into the roof with iron bars covering the windows.
INT. LIVING ROOM - TOM'S HOUSE- NIGHT
It is a clean, new room with a sturdy couch, chairs, table and TV set. Mexican rugs hang from the walls and draperies cover the windows. There are medical textbooks in Spanish and English in a bookcase. There is a record player with speakers set on a table.
VARIOUS ANGLES
Tom takes out a record album.
INSERT
Album Cover- ALL DAY MUSIC by War is displayed.
Tom places the record on the phonograph and puts the needle near the middle of the record.
The music softly plays, "There Must Be A Reason."
TOM
Hey, Jaime, how did your exams go?
JAIME
I passed. How did you do?
TOM
I aced them all.
JAIME
Bueno.
TOM
Wait a second, I have something to show you.
Tom sprints away and disappears into his bedroom.
Jaime walks through the living room, stops and inspects the Native American rug hanging from the wall.
Tom reappears with a RICAMESA shopping bag. He pulls two large white bricks from the bag and places them on the table.
TOM (CONT'D)
Each brick is a kilo and ninety-five percent pure cocaine, they cost ten grand each. Do you have a few thousand dollars? I can cut you in for part of the deal.
Jaime looks at the bricks of cocaine. He is surprised and shows some emotion.
JAIME
Selling coke is a lot more dangerous then selling pot. What the hell are you doing with this stuff?
TOM
I can make a lot more money selling coke in the states then selling pot down here.
(Pause)
After I graduate medical school and return to the USA, I want a decent place to live. Resident physicians don't earn much of a salary.
Tom is excited.
TOM (CONT'D)
Listen to me. Once these bricks are in the states, I can cut two bricks into four and get thirty or forty thousand dollars each.
JAIME
I'm not interested in dealing drugs.
(Pause)
Hey Tom, how are you going to get these bricks on the other side of the border?
TOM
That won't be a problem.
Tom goes into the kitchen. He comes back with two TECATE beers. He hands Jaime a can. They sit at the table and drink.
TOM (CONT'D)
Remember that guy, Rob Loesser. Last summer he lived in the apartment next to you.
JAIME
The rich, blond kid from Ohio. The Mexican girls loved Rob and the Mexican guys despised him.
TOM
I sold him two kilos of marijuana.
JAIME
I know.
TOM
I've been in contact with him. He'll go for the deal.
(Pause)Are you sure you don't want a piece of this?
JAIME
No way. Ni modo.
Jaime sighs and sips the beer.
JAIME (CONT'D)
You got these bricks from SERGIO didn't you?
TOM
Yeah. He and his gang from Culiacan are setting up a coke distribution center here in Guadalajara.
Tom points to the bricks on the table.
TOM (CONT'D)
Those two bricks are the first samples.
Jaime looks at Tom and speaks slowly to him.
JAIME
Sergio is a very dangerous man.
TOM
He's just a businessman who has good connections with the Federales.
Tom fluffs off Jaime's warning. He pauses a second, then quickly finishes his beer.
Jaime downs the rest of his beer. Tom gets up and returns with two more Tecates. He throws one to Jaime.
The War album plays, "Nappy Head."
TOM (CONT'D)
Look, I want you to do me a favor. Keep these bricks for me. I am driving to Puerto Vallarta very early in the morning. I have a meeting with Sergio there tomorrow night.
JAIME
Why do you want me to hold the bricks?
TOM
Sergio told me to have you hold the bricks until the deal is complete.
Tom stops talking and thinks.
TOM (CONT'D)
You've known Sergio for a long time, haven't you?
JAIME
I was introduced to Sergio by a mutual friend five years ago.
TOM
That's longer than you've been in medical school.
JAIME
That's right.
Tom shrugs and smiles. They drink.
The record album plays, "Slippin' into Darkness."
TOM
I'm taking a semester's leave of absence. I need to make a distribution connection in the states.
JAIME
When will you contact me?
TOM
Sergio will contact you when everything is setup.
Jaime expresses concern on his face.
JAIME
OK, I'll hold the bricks. Give me a ride to Minerva Circle and I'll walk to my apartment from there.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - MINERVA CIRCLE - GUADALAJARA - NIGHT
Tom drops Jaime at Minerva Circle in the center of the city. Traffic is light.
Jaime walks a few blocks down Avenida Vallarta. He passes by a Ricamesa Food Market Store. He arrives at his upscale hotel apartment in Suites Andreas. He carries the cocaine bricks in the Ricamesa shopping bag.
INT. JAIME'S BEDROOM - GUADALAJARA - NIGHT
Jaime's apartment has a small living room and kitchen and a large bedroom with a king sized bed. Draperies cover the windows.
Jaime uses a key to unlock the bedroom closet door. He places the Ricamesa bag on an upper shelf and covers it with clothes. The lower shelf stores a few medical texts. He locks the closet.
Jaime gets into bed with a tired and worried expression on his face. He turns off the lights.
INT. JAIME'S BEDROOM - GUADALAJARA - DAWN
Jaime is a light sleeper. He wakes up sweating and disturbed.
JAIME
Aaah!
CUT TO:
INT. RESTAURANT, PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO-NIGHT
TITLE CARD: CAMINO REAL HOTEL, PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO
Tom Jenner is seated at a table with SERGIO and ROB LOESSER. The restaurant is not crowded. July is offseason in Puerto Vallarta.
Sergio is a Mexican-American mid thirties; tall, dark, lean and muscular. He has short cut black hair and dark eyes. He is neat, handsome and serious.
Rob Loesser is early twenties; long blond hair, blue eyes, thin build. He is extremely good looking. He takes one look at Sergio and keeps his mouth shut.
SERGIO
(Very Slight, Mexican Accent)
OK, Tom. The deal is settled.
TOM
Five thousand is in the briefcase.
Rob hands Sergio the briefcase. He quickly looks away from him.
TOM (CONT'D)
I'll wire you the rest of the money in a few months.
SERGIO
As long as Jaime holds the bricks. I'll trust you for the rest of the money.
Sergio