Damon's Samples (of Writing)

Iain Davis gets a call from his ex-girlfriend:

INT COFFEE SHOP. DAY

DAVIS DE BOER, a tall, thin late twenties looking chap, leans
forward on the table of a busy, downtown coffee shop. Across
from him sits PORTIA MICHEALS, a beautiful young woman who
looks roughly the same age as Davis. She has her arms
crossed, leaning far back in her chair and is looking out the
window.

DAVIS
I was surprised you called.

PORTIA
You were?

DAVIS
I thought - I mean it was a
pleasant surprise. I'd given up -

PORTIA
Given up what?

DAVIS
I'd ... what are you having?

PORTIA
I'm not hungry.

DAVIS
You used to love the coffee here.

PORTIA
When did we come here?

DAVIS
We always came here. That first
night? Remember. Our legs touched
under the table.

PORTIA
You were trying to feel me up.

DAVIS
No I wasn't. Not intentionally.

PORTIA
I'm not having anything. I just
wanted to tell you -

DAVIS
- remember your friend. What's his
name. He used to work here.

PORTIA
What friend?

DAVIS
I can't remember his name. He was
an actor, I think. Goatee.

Portia shifts in her chair.

PORTIA
It doesn't matter.

DAVIS
I remember a lot of things. I've
never forgotten you. And when you
called. Remember our diner at ...
I'd been thinking of calling you.

PORTIA
Why?

DAVIS
I was cleaning out my room the
other day.

PORTIA
You ever get a door?

DAVIS
That's one thick curtain.

PORTIA
Have you washed it at least?

DAVIS
I was cleaning my room and I found
this photograph. Of us. At the jazz
festival. At the harbour. Remember.

PORTIA
Yes.

DAVIS
They were happy times, weren't
they?

PORTIA
Yeah. But they ... I knew this was
going to be hard. You haven't
changed. You're still the same old -

DAVIS
What?

PORTIA
Look I called you as a courtesy. I
called you because I thought I owed
you -

DAVIS
-what? You don't owe me anything.

PORTIA
I thought I owed you a warning.

DAVIS
Warning? I'm fine. I mean I haven't
been checked but I - I didn't give
you something, did I?

PORTIA
My fucking stars ...

DAVIS
You didn't... I've been fine.
Really ... who have you -

PORTIA
What did you think this was all
about?

DAVIS
I hoped that we'd ... that you'd
... that you wanted to get back
together.

Portia looks at him in amazement.

DAVIS (CONT'D)
What?

PORTIA
What the hell would give you that
idea?

DAVIS
I thought when you called. You
haven't been around for awhile.
Maybe you had time to think. You
had second thoughts.

PORTIA
Second thoughts? Where were you
when we broke up? Do you remember
anything I said? Anything I told
you? Was I speaking Chinese? Was
your head so far up your own ass
that - I wish I could say this
surprises me. I really do.

DAVIS
Why did you call?

PORTIA
To warn you. To give you a heads
up. Just in case you hear things.
You probably wont even see it but I
thought I owed you that.

DAVIS
I really thought there was a
chance.

PORTIA
Look I'm sorry. If I had any idea
that you would have thought
something like this.
(pause)
I'm going to be on TV.

DAVIS
That's great.

PORTIA
It's like a game show only -

DAVIS
Wow. What channel? When?

PORTIA
No. No. You can't. You wouldn't
watch this stuff anyway. It's one
of those Reality TV Shows. You
don't watch them. You shouldn't
watch this.

DAVIS
Which one?

PORTIA
It hasn't aired yet. We've shot it
all. It airs soon.
But I didn't want you to hear
things. It's only a TV show.

DAVIS
I want to see it. I think that's
great.

PORTIA
Why would you?

DAVIS
Because you're on it.

PORTIA
Please don't watch. i shouldn't
even be talking about it.

DAVIS
Why?

PORTIA
You idiot. I'm telling you - why
don't you ever listen. You never
listened. I've warned you. That's
all I can do. It's just a stupid TV
show.

Portia picks up her bag and throws it over her shoulder. She
takes a step and stops.

PORTIA (CONT'D)
It wasn't this cafe. It was the one
across the street.

DAVIS
Stay, for some ...

Davis watches Portia leave. He turns in his chair and stares
out the window. His coffee sits before him on the table.
Untouched.

On a chair at the table beside him sits a newspaper. He
reaches over and takes it. He flips to the back page and
looks at the TV listings. He runs his finger down the column
where it reads: 8PM LOVE PATROL