Behind the 8 Ball - Feature Screenplay

INT. COUNTRY CLUB - PARLOR - DAY

SASHA (30s, cool) sits around a table with three middle-aged men. It’s Texas Hold-Em, the first three cards already out.

The current dealer is older than the rest.

OLD POKER PLAYER

Call?

SASHA

Call? I’ll always call. It’s no fun otherwise.

She adds a few bills from her sizable stack to the pot.

The other players match her bet. The older player deals the next card. Sasha watches the men, not the cards.

Sasha fixates on the old player, his eyes flicking around.

POKER PLAYER

This isn’t working. I’m out.

Another player turns his cards in.

SASHA

Down to just three. Time to get to work.

She looks at the pot and her stack, counting on her fingers.

OLD POKER PLAYER

What, you’re counting cards?

SASHA

No, counting the money.

OLD POKER PLAYER

Jesus, this is supposed to be a

friendly game.

Across the room, an OLD WOMAN having tea perks up.

OLD WOMAN

Excuse me, there are families here!

They are in a tidy country club. Not the kind of place where betting poker takes place.

SASHA

Jacob says you work in, what, tech?

OLD POKER PLAYER

Process mining.

SASHA

Pittsburgh has steel, High Point’s the furniture capital of the world, and we’ve got process mining. You tech guys like fast money. Raise.

The older player turns over the final card, the Ace of Clubs.

SASHA

Oooh, very dramatic.

He reveals his two cards: Ace of Diamonds and Six of Hearts.

SASHA

Two pair, nice safe hand. You were counting on that Ace too. But-

Her cards: Two sevens, matching with the Seven of Spades on the table.

SASHA

Jackpot.

She takes the money and shuffles her winnings, standing up.

POKER PLAYER

Just going to rob us and leave?

SASHA

No one’s robbing anyone. It’s a game, you lost.

The men lean toward her.

OLD POKER PLAYER

Another hand. Your deal.

She takes the deck and shuffles.

SASHA

Okay, sure. We’re having fun. In the spirit of charity:

She puts a few bills back in the middle of the table.

SASHA

Round of iced teas, on me.

The older player leans forward to get it.

Sasha looks outside and lets out a feigned gasp.

SASHA

Cannonball!

They’re by a window, facing a pool at the country club. The men turn their heads as a kid does a splashy cannonball.

With everyone turning, Sasha tosses a card into the older man’s seat.

Sasha deals the cards. She stops and rifles through the deck.

POKER PLAYER

Whoa, what are you doing?

SASHA

You, stand up.

OLD POKER PLAYER

What?

SASHA

Stand up, we’re missing a card.

OLD POKER PLAYER

Oh, this is-

He gets up and pulls out the Ace of Diamonds from his seat.

POKER PLAYER

Dale, what the hell?

JACOB (30s) walks up to the table as the men stand up to confront each other.

JACOB

Hey, what’s going on?

OLD POKER PLAYER

Jacob, what kinda friend you bringing here?

JACOB

Sasha?

Jacob takes Sasha’s cash and dishes out four equal shares.

JACOB

Sorry about this, guys.

OLD POKER PLAYER

Hey, I came here with more than this.

JACOB

Then play better. Excuse me.

He grabs Sasha by the arm and drags her away from the table.

INT. COUNTRY CLUB - HALLWAY - DAY

SASHA

That’s my money! I won it, clean!

JACOB

I’m trying to impress my bosses, I invite you out, and I ask you, just be cool, don’t run the table. But you can’t help yourself.

SASHA

Hey, you don’t like how I play, don’t invite me.

JACOB

Good, I won’t. I’m done.

He marches back into the parlor, leaving Sasha count out her money before she leaves too.

INT. POOL BAR - BAR COUNTER - NIGHT

Sasha sits at a bar counter. The bartender ARTHUR fills a glass with water and hands it to her.

SASHA

So you don’t know of anything going on tonight?

ARTHUR

No.

SASHA

You don’t know or are you telling me no?

ARTHUR

No.

SASHA

C’mon Arthur, I need another grand by midnight.

ARTHUR

Sasha, listen to yourself. No one wants to play with you because you act like a prick, and you’ve got gambling debts on top of it.

SASHA

It’s not debt, it’s an investment. I pay for leads on games, and I need games for rent, food, boom.

ARTHUR

You pay for leads? You never pay me.

SASHA

Because we’re friends, Arthur.

He shakes his head and goes to other customers. Sasha sits alone and drinks her water, watching the rest of the bar.

There are pool tables in the back. She watches BILL (20s) walk in, laughing with a large group of friends. They pick up cues and start playing at one of the tables.

SASHA

Do you let people play for cash here?

ARTHUR

No, money games are banned.

SASHA

Well, how do you enforce that?

ARTHUR

I can’t. I’m busy up here.

SASHA

So I can do it anyway then?

ARTHUR

No, now I’ve got my eye on you. Seriously, don’t do it.

SASHA

What do you care? You don’t own this place, you just pour drinks.

ARTHUR

I just pour drinks, huh? You think it’s so easy, you do it.

He puts a bottle and a cup in front of her. Sasha tries to pour a shot and spills it on the counter.

To read more of this screenplay, contact Michael Papich.