Blow

GEORGE What do you want me to say? I’m in prison. You should know. You put me here.

MIRTHA Fuck you, George. I knew you’d say something like that. Always thinking about yourself.

She moves away and drags nine-year old Kristina into the room. Kristina yanks her arm away and they get into a heated argument. Through the glass, George can’t hear the words but it’s clear that Kristina doesn’t want to be here.

GEORGE My baby. She’s so big.

Mirtha forces Kristina over to the glass and keeps showing her, prompting her to talk. Kristina stares at George through the glass. Cool. Defiant. Angry. She picks up the phone and speaks, every word an accusation.

KRISTINA I thought you couldn’t live without your heart.

She drops the phone, walks away, and doesn’t look back.

INT. PHONE BOOTH – MIAMI STREETS – DAY

George puts in the quarters.

GEORGE Hello, Derek? It’s George. Yeah. Yeah, I am. I’m in Miami. I’m looking to do something. I want to put together a crew. Do you know anybody? Leon? I don’t know him. What’s his last name? Alright. Give me the number.

EXT. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – MIAMI – DAY

Nine-year old Kristina Jung leaves school. George, fresh out of prison, moves across the street to meet her.

KRISTINA What are you doing here?

GEORGE Nothing. I just wanted you to know I was out. I just wanted to see you.

KRISTINA Well, here I am. See?

GEORGE How are you doing?

KRISTINA George, you just can’t show up, tell me you love me, and have everything be okay.

GEORGE Dad.

KRISTINA What?

GEORGE You can call me Dad if you want.

KRISTINA I don’t want, alright? It’s not funny. I’m really pissed off, George. You blew it, now leave me alone.

GEORGE Kristina, c’mon, I’m sorry. I’m going to make this right. I’ve got a few things going on…

KRISTINA What do you want from me?

GEORGE Just to walk with you. I want to be your dad again.

KRISTINA Do what you want, it’s a free country.

She walks away. He follows.

INT. THE PALM LOUNGE – MIAMI – DAY

George sits at the bar with a man named LEON MINGHELLA.

LEON It’s a four-man operation. Two on the ground. Two in the air.

GEORGE Who’s the co-pilot?

LEON You’re looking at him. We provide the plane, transportation cost, U.S. landing spot, and take it to wherever you want it to go. You provide the pick up point in South America, and are responsible for payment. You assume all the bust risks. We take sixty-five percent of all transportation fees, ten percent of the gross, plus our expenses. This is not a negotiation, so if this is okay with you, we can talk further. If not, we can forget we had this conversation.

GEORGE Sounds fine. I’ll need to meet everybody.

LEON They’re over at the booth.

Leon leads George over.

LEON (CONT’D) Gentlemen, this is George. George, this is Ben, G.G. and…

George’s eyes widen as he looks at the last man. It’s Kevin Dulli.

GEORGE Holy shit, Dulli!

KEVIN Georgie, oh man, hold the mayo!

GEORGE (V.O.) That was it. Seeing Dulli after fourteen years sealed the deal for me. The rest was just details. My end was roughly five-hundred thousand. Kristina and I could have a good life for five hundred grand. Start over somewhere. One final score. That’s all I needed.

INT. OLIVEROS MANSION – MIAMI – DAY

AUGUSTO Three-hundred kilos is a very big load, Georgie. Why don’t we start small?

GEORGE No. I have the space. I figured it out. This is what I want to do.

AUGUSTO Alright. I’ll ask Pablo, tell him it’s for you. I don’t think there will be a problem.

GEORGE Five-thousand per kilo.

AUGUSTO Ha ha. That’s too much, Georgie. Those days are over. The rate is one-thousand dollars. Inflation, you know?

GEORGE This is a one time thing, Gusto. One and I’m out. Give me a good price for old time’s sake. What do you think?

EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET – MIAMI – DAY

George and Kristina walk through the neighborhood. He carries her books.

GEORGE Let me ask you something. If you could go anywhere in the world, anywhere, where would you want to go?

KRISTINA You mean, like a trip?

GEORGE Yeah, sure, whatever.

Kristina thinks about it.

KRISTINA I don’t know. Maybe California.

George is amused by her answer.

GEORGE California? You can go anywhere in the world. India. Tibet. Australia. Paris. And you choose California?

KRISTINA Yeah.

GEORGE What is it? A Disneyland thing?

KRISTINA No. I just kind of like the sound of it.

GEORGE California, huh?

KRISTINA California.

They turn a corner and arrive at Kristina’s house. Mirtha is standing in the doorway.

GEORGE Go on inside now. I want to talk to your mom alone.

He kisses his daughter goodbye.

KRISTINA Bye, Dad. See you in the morning, okay?

GEORGE I’ll be here.

George moves over to Mirtha. It’s been a while.

MIRTHA What do you want?

GEORGE You knew I was seeing Kristina, right?

MIRTHA Yeah. She told me. You walk her to school.

GEORGE Yeah, so I’ve been thinking. I love her, y’know? I kind of want to have her. I’ve been away for so long. Make up for the missed time, you know?

MIRTHA I haven’t seen one dollar from you. You haven’t paid me one cent in child support, alimony.

GEORGE Yeah, well. I’m working on that. I’ve got something going.

MIRTHA Yeah? I better see some money out of it.

GEORGE Yeah, you will. Of course.

Mirtha looks at her ex-husband. It’s not all bad.

MIRTHA Hey, look. You start paying, who knows what will happen. You’re a good father, George. I always gave you that. But you’ve got to talk to her.

GEORGE Yeah.

MIRTHA She’s getting big. Getting her own ideas.

GEORGE I know. Well, that’s all I really wanted to say. So, okay, then.

He moves down the steps and heads for the sidewalk.

MIRTHA Hey, George. You okay?

GEORGE Yeah. I’m fine. I’m good.