Pool Hall scene

Ext. – pool hall – dusk

El Dorado, a pool hall in a small Texas/Mexico border town. Its located on a dusty abandoned road. There’s nothing but a small shopping plaza the other side of the highway. The pool hall is the only rest stop for five miles before Phoenix, the last major city before the Mexican border. El Dorado’s bright neon green sign lights up the road at night. The building itself is a brick building and not much bigger than a convenience store with a veranda for the roof. Three young Mexican men stand outside El Dorado, under the veranda, leaning against the exterior wall.

Martinez, the youngest, had his hair gelled back and wore a blue dress shirt with the collar unbuttoned, and khaki dress pants. Villanazul had very messy hair, a flannel shirt on and jeans that were too small. He was very thin and bony looking. Vamenos, was the biggest of the 3 and the more muscular. He wore a denim jacket with the sleeves cut off and a white undershirt. He had shoulder length hair and a goatee.

Martinez, Villanzul, and Vamenos are lined up against the brick exterior of El Dorado according to height. Vamenos, Villanzul, and Martinez being the shortest. Vamenos is closest to the front door of El Dorado.

Martinez
Hey it’s a swell night huh? Swell

Martinez noticed a few people cross the street. He watched until they were no longer visible. A few cars drove by, when they pass the road became empty and silent.


Martinez
Nights like this you wish well lots of things

Villanazul
Wishing, wishing is the useless pastime of the unemployed.

Vamenos
Unemployed? Listen to him! We got no jobs, no money!”

Martinez
So, we got no friends.

Villanazul
True

Villanazul stares off to the other side of the highway. He looks as if he’s in a trance by the swaying palm trees.



Villanazul
Do you know what I wish? I wish to go into that plaza and speak among the businessmen who gather there nights to talk big talk. But dressed as I am, poor as I am, who would listen? So Martinez, we have each other. The friendship of the poor is real friendship. We…

Villanzul pauses as he spots a man walking out of the pool hall towards his car. The man is also of Mexican decent. He is wearing a white business suit and a dark blue dress shirt with the collar unbuttoned. His hair is neck length but gelled back, has a mustache, and has a gold chain around his neck. The woman around his arm is stunning. Her hair is blonde and she’s wearing a red dress and high heels.

The three men stare at the man and woman as if they had seen a celebrity. They stare speechless for almost five minutes.



Martinez
Madre mia!

Martinez slaps his forehead

Martinez
How does that one rate two friends?

Vamenos
It’s his nice new white summer suit.

Vamenos bites his bruised thumbnail

Vamenos
He looks sharp.

Martinez, Vamenos, and Villanazul continue to watch the men and women walk by the pool hall