T H
E L A W M A N
By
Garrett Gilchrist
4-25-01
EXT - STREET,
TOWN, SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO, 1897 - DAY
Establish a small town getting around to doing its
business. The time is over a century ago. Roll credits over this. We move in
to:
INT - BARBERSHOP - DAY
A shabby makeshift barbershop in this shabby
makeshift town. SHERIFF OBADIAH PETERS, 38 and solidly squarefaced, one of the
town's few pillars, is getting a shave and haircut from the aged town barber,
MR. SAMUELS. The sheriff's eyes are closed.
SAMUEL
Think it'll rain?
OBADIAH
Mm-mm.
SAMUELS
Me neither.
Samuels carefully shaves the right side of the
sheriff's face with his blade.
SAMUELS [cont]
Sarah Mayfield's in town
today.
The sheriff's eyes open sleepily.
OBADIAH
Mm.
SAMUELS
You know, lovely young lady, lives on a farm way out
in the valley, her grandpa was a friend of my father's.
OBADIAH
I know who she is, Samuels. She was or is a good
friend of mine. What's she doing in town today?
SAMUELS
Homesick, I suspect. Though mainly she's coming to
visit Mr. Jameson at the bank. Probably closing up her account there.
OBADIAH
She doesn't have an account there.
Samuels finishes up the shave.
SAMUELS
There you are then.
Samuels removes the bib from around the sheriff's
neck, wipes off his face with a wet towel, and the Sheriff stands up.
OBADIAH
Is it fifty cents?
SAMUELS
Should do it.
Obadiah checks his pockets, and seems surprised to
find nothing there.
OBADIAH
Oh dear. I seem to have left my wallet in my other
pants when I took them out for darning. Wait a minute, I'll run back ...
SAMUELS
Don't worry about it, Obadiah. Pay it back next
time.
OBADIAH
I'm sorry, I ...
SAMUELS
No, no. You're the law in this town, Obadiah, and if
a sheriff's word ain't good enough for me then no one's would be.
Obadiah pats Samuels' shoulder.
OBADIAH
You're a good man, Samuels. Don't let anyone tell
you different.
Obadiah leaves, as Samuels looks back after him,
wiping his hands with a small wet towel. As Obadiah leaves he passes THREE OLD
LADIES, who smile at him.
OLD LADY #1
Hello sheriff.
OLD LADY #2
Good day, sheriff.
OLD LADY #3
Good afternoon, sheriff.
Obadiah tips his hat.
OBADIAH
Fine afternoon, Mrs. Bellesley. Pleasant day isn't
it, Mrs. Pennett? Mrs. Hawks, how is the family?
OLD LADY #2
Getting bigger every day, sheriff, thank you kindly
for asking.
The sheriff leaves, and the old ladies whisper and
giggle amongst each other the moment he is gone. Samuels looks at them, and
they are quiet for a moment, giving embarrassed looks, then start whispering
again.
EXT - STREET - DAY
Obadiah walks down the street, and we can tell there
is a smile hidden somewhere under his stony face. He has a long stride and easy
manner. A man and woman walk by. He tips his hat.
MAN
Howdy sheriff.
WOMAN
G'dafternoon, sheriff.
Obadiah keeps walking. DEPUTY THOMAS LODGE, 27, runs
up toward the sheriff and they both stop and look at each other.
THOMAS
Oh! You look nice, sheriff. Got a shave, did you?
OBADIAH
Hello Thomas. I thought you were taking care of the
jailhouse while I was gone.
THOMAS
I am! Well, I was. I came out to see if you were
done yet. I'm really sorry, it won't happen again sheriff ...
OBADIAH
Don't worry about it. Thomas, can you do a favor for
me? There's fifty cents in it for you.
THOMAS
Anything.
OBADIAH reaches in his pocket, takes out his keys
and two quarters and hands them to Thomas.
OBADIAH
Please keep taking care of the place for me. Can you
do that?
THOMAS
Sure. No prisoners there anyway, 'cept for drunk old
Mr. Meyer. But where are you going?
OBADIAH
I've, um, got some errands I have to run at the
bank.
THOMAS
The bank? All right.
Thomas turns to walk away, then stops and looks back
at Obadiah.
THOMAS [cont.]
Sarah Mayfield's visiting
the bank today, you know.
Obadiah shakes his head dismissively.
OBADIAH
Oh Thomas, don't you have anything better to do than
listen to pointless barbershop gossip?
THOMAS
Well, I just thought you'd like to know, is all.
OBADIAH
Thank you, Thomas. That will be all.
Thomas nods, smiles and walks away toward the
jailhouse, holding the keys proudly.
Obadiah looks out over the horizon at the sun, and
then down at the bank in the distance.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT - BANK - EVENING - SUNSET
Obadiah is sitting on the ground at the side of the
bank, in a place where he might not be visible to entering or leaving
customers. It is strange for a sheriff to appear to be hiding, but such it is.
Various customers enter and leave, and the sheriff turns to look at each one
with anticipation in his manner, then turns away disappointed as they turn out
not to be the person he is looking for. Now JOHN JAMESON, the bank president,
46 and well-dressed, walks down the front steps carrying an oversized envelope
of the sort a large batch of documents might be put in, and a little watch on a
chair tied into the pocket of the vest he is wearing. He looks at the watch,
then at Obadiah, who he walks toward. Jameson is not a tall man and though he
talks quickly, he always seems incredibly timid and nervous, on the verge of a
very quiet breakdown.
JAMESON
You all right out here, sheriff?
Obadiah stands.
OBADIAH
Oh yes, very well, Mr. Jameson.
JAMESON
Surprise seeing you here.
OBADIAH
The bank's a pillar of this community, Mr. Jameson.
I thought it should be protected.
JAMESON
Quite so, quite so. Actually, you're just the man I
was looking for. I brought you some more of those files I've been working on.
Thought you might enjoy it.
He hands Obadiah the envelope, and Obadiah looks at
it with uncertainty, which he then hides with a smile.
OBADIAH
Another one? You are the fastest worker I've ever
seen, Mr. Jameson.
JAMESON
The only way to survive in this business. So, what
about them? Do you think they might be of any use to you?
OBADIAH
Well, I think they could, but there's some question
that ... Well, my deputy and I are a bit nervous that the townsfolk might think
...
JAMESON
The townsfolk? What does it matter what the
townsfolk think? This is the law we're talking about, helping the law, and any
man who does not love the law is a criminal himself.
OBADIAH
Any man who does not love the law is a criminal
himself. That's a good one, I'll have to remember that.
JAMESON
Well, I'm just glad you'll be able to put my work to
good use.
Obadiah gives a look of surprise at this. Jameson
shakes hands with Obadiah and is already walking back up the stairs.
JAMESON [cont.]
Good seeing you again,
sheriff. Stop by anytime. Now if
you'll excuse me, I must get
back to work.
Obadiah nods, and is alone. He looks around him,
down at the envelope he is holding, and decides to hide the envelope in the
back of his shirt. He stuffs it in there and then sits back down.
We now see SARAH MAYFIELD, 30 years of age, blonde,
fair-skinned, lovely, polite and impeccably dressed, walking down the dirt way
just behind the bank carrying an oversized envelope almost identical to the one
Jameson just gave to Obadiah. OBADIAH does not see her, and she tries to be
quiet as she inches closer to him. OBADIAH is still staring at the front
entrance of the bank for signs of his quarry. Sarah suddenly speaks.
SARAH
Are you looking for me?
Obadiah jumps in surprise, turns and looks at her.
OBADIAH
Sarah Mayfield.
SARAH
Hello Obadiah. Sheriff. Obadiah. I don't know what
to call you. It's good to see you again.
Obadiah stands, and smiles embarrassedly.
OBADIAH
This isn't what it looks like. I was just helping
out with protecting the bank from dangerous types.
Sarah smiles.
SARAH
Danger?
OBADIAH
Yeah. I've heard tale of gangs of hoodlums out in
some of these states that go around shooting things and robbing banks like
this.
SARAH
Sounds exciting.
OBADIAH
Just in a day's work.
Obadiah now looks at Sarah's envelope, and becomes
even more serious.
OBADIAH [cont.]
What is in this envelope?
Sarah suddenly becomes a bit apprehensive, but moves
to cover it up.
SARAH
Business ... papers. Business I have to take care of
right now. Well, I'll see you, Sheriff. You may even thank me later.