Blow
EXT. LIQUOR STORE – WEYMOUTH – 1976
SUPERIMPOSE: JULY, 1976.
George is at a payphone. He drops in about a million quarters until he is finally connected.
GEORGE Diego Delgado, please?
DIEGO Allo?
GEORGE Diego? It’s George.
DIEGO George, hallo! Today is the day, ah? Are you out?
GEORGE Yeah, I’m out.
DIEGO Congratulations, brother. I’ve been waiting for you.
GEORGE How are we doing?
DIEGO Perfect, George. Perfect. Everything is fine down here. Everything is all set up.
GEORGE Do we need a plane? How does this work? When do I see you?
DIEGO Slow down, George. Slow down.
Fred exits the liquor store carrying two bottles of Dom Perignon. As he catches George’s eye, he lifts the bottles showing them off. George holds up his finger, indicating he’ll be just a second.
DIEGO (CONT’D) You need to come down here, everybody meets everybody. Ho ho ho. Ha ha ha. We do one for good faith and then we talk about airplanes.
GEORGE I can’t go anywhere, Diego. I’m on parole. I can’t leave the state.
DIEGO But you must. It’s the only way.
GEORGE I just got released five minutes ago.
DIEGO George, are we gonna do this or not?
EXT. BASSETERRE HOTEL – ANTIGUA – POOLSIDE – 1976 – DAY
George steps outside and spots Diego. Their eyes meet. Diego looks different, relaxed. He wears a straw hat, shorts, and sports a healthy tan. The two men embrace.
GEORGE Good to see you, Diego.
DIEGO Yes. Look around you. The sun. The water. The women. It’s better than Danbury, no? Come on. I have some friends I would like you to meet.
EXT. BASSETERRE HOTEL – ANTIGUA – POOLSIDE – 1976 – DAY
Diego and George sit with five other Colombians, most notably, a man named CESAR ROZA. The mood is not friendly.
DIEGO Fifteen kilos. Seven and a half in each suitcase. You receive a hundred thousand dollars upon delivery.
GEORGE Okay.
CESAR Not so fast. I would like to go over the details.
GEORGE What details? I put the coke in the false bottoms and take it through customs.
CESAR Tell me about the suitcases. What is the make and the color?
DIEGO Samsonites. Red. No tags.
Cesar thinks about it.
CESAR Hmm. I see. Will there be clothes in the suitcase?
GEORGE What? Yeah, sure.
CESAR Whose cloths? Your clothes?
GEORGE My clothes, your clothes. What does it matter?
CESAR I would like to know the contents. Every detail is important.
GEORGE What are we doing here, Diego? This guy’s a clown. He’s talking about clothes.
CESAR I demand to know everything. I do not trust six-hundred thousand dollars of coca to someone I don’t know.
GEORGE It’s a lousy fifteen kilos. I piss fifteen kilos.
CESAR The coca is my responsibility!
GEORGE You’re a fucking amateur!
DIEGO Gentlemen, please. There is no need to be impolite. Cesar, this will be fine. You have my word. George, Cesar is just being thorough. That’s all.
CESAR Very well. But just remember, Mr. Jung. I will be with you the whole way. And I will be watching.
INT. LOGAN AIRPORT – CUSTOMS – 1976 – DAY
George carries the two Samsonites over to customs inspections. It’s a long walk. George’s heart beats hard. The sound is audible and grows with every beat. BA-BUMP. BA BUMP. Cesar lurks at the baggage carousel.
GEORGE (V.O.) When you’re carrying drugs across the border, the idea is to remain calm. The way I do it is to think of something pleasant, a fun party, a moment of triumph. A sexual encounter. I actually project myself to that place. Anything to keep your mind off the fact that you’re going to jail for a very long time if they find the fifteen kilos of cocaine in your suitcases.
George stands in front of the customs agent. He tries his best to look relaxed as the agent reviews his documents.
CUSTOMS AGENT On vacation?
GEORGE Yes.
CUSTOMS AGENT On vacation for only one day?
BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP. The heartbeats are very loud.
GEORGE (weak smile) My brother’s wedding. Imagine that, huh?
George’s breathing is labored and his swallowing reflex doesn’t seem to be working. Cesar passes through, eyeballing George the whole time.
CUSTOMS AGENT Open your bags, please.
George opens the Samsonites. Super dry mouth. BA-BUMP. BA BUMP. The beats are deafening now. Cesar nervously monitors the situation from the payphones.
CUSTOMS AGENT (CONT’D) Whose clothes are these?
GEORGE Mine.
The customs agent holds up a woman’s undergarment. Cesar throws up his hands in frustration.
CUSTOMS AGENT And this?
GEORGE What can I tell you? Different strokes.
George winks at the customs agent, who shakes his head before finishing the inspection.
CUSTOMS AGENT Alright, go ahead.
EXT. LOGAN AIRPORT – PAYPHONES – CONTINUOUS
George moves to the payphones, sets down the two suitcases, and pretends to make a call. Not inconspicuously, Cesar grabs the bags and walks quickly out of the terminal.
INT. BASSETERRE HOTEL – ANTIGUA – 1976 – DAY
Diego, Cesar, George and JACK STEVENS, a silver haired executive type, lounge around the mini-suite. Cesar still has that crazy look in his eye.
DIEGO Three-hundred kilos it is, then.
A beautiful Latin woman enters and kisses both Diego and Cesar. Her name is INEZ, and friendly she is not.
DIEGO (CONT’D) Has everyone met Inez? This is George. I’ve told you about him. And this is friend, Jack Stevens.
The men proffer their hands, but she just looks at them like ants before sitting down next to Diego.
DIEGO (CONT’D) Try to be more respectful, darling. My apologies. But she is mistrustful of Americans. Shall we proceed? Let’s hear it again, Mr. Stevens.
STEVENS I’ll fly down on a Friday, refuel in the Bahamas, and then to Medellin.
INEZ Friday?
Inez addresses Diego and Cesar only. She speaks in Spanish. The conversation is about “Why Friday?” Inez has some problem with it. Diego explains. And Inez is reassured.
DIEGO Please, continue.
GEORGE We make the pick-up, refuel once more in the Bahamas, and fly back on Sunday with the mom and pop traffic.
CESAR Why are you speaking?
GEORGE Excuse me?
CESAR You. Your responsibility is over. You do not fly. You are not a pilot. You are not a distributor. You introduced us to Mr. Stevens and the use of his airplane. That is all. You make a percentage. A generous one. And you’re lucky to get that.
GEORGE I see. How much?
CESAR Padrino will pay ten-thousand per kilo. For everyone. For you, and you, and you.
He indicates George, Diego and Jack Stevens.
CESAR (CONT’D) There is no negotiation. Three-million dollars. That is all.
STEVENS I want two.
GEORGE Gee, Jack, a million each had such a nice ring to it.
STEVENS No way. I’m doing all the work. Taking all the risk, and it’s my plane.
Diego and George look at each other.
STEVENS (CONT’D) Hey, you guys don’t have to do shit. Just sit back and collect your money.
GEORGE You good with this?
