The Village: The Sally Quinn Story

Here's part of my screenplay, The Village, soon to be a minor motion picture.

Sally Quinn left her party for the kitchen. She was checking on the catering staff.

"What the HELL are you thinking!" she hissed.

"The bacon wrapped figs are FALLING APART! Tight. Tight. TIGHT! You have to roll them tight. If the bacon is too crisp throw it away and get another piece. If I spot one more hors d'oeuvre falling apart you are fired. Don't forget I brought down D.C. Delights Catering and I can bring you down too. "

The staff practically fell to their knees to grovel. "Yes, Mrs. Bradley. Of course Mrs. Bradley. We will do better Mrs. Bradley. We are so sorry. It won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't." she said then turned to leave the kitchen. Right before she opened the door into the great room she paused, took a breath and smiled.

One of the staff had looked down and didn't realize Quinn had paused to put on her Hostess face. She whispered to a friend. "Puta"

Quinn whipped her head around. "Bitch?! You call me a bitch in MY home?" Her voice got tight as she snapped out each word. "Come. Here." as she made a motion with her hand.

The caterer, Margarita, stepped in front of the staff member to apologize for her.

"No. Not you. Her." as she pointed to the woman who called her a bitch.

Maria stepped forward to face Quinn.

"I brought down a President who disrespected me. I stopped Hillary from becoming President. How dare you call me names in my own home?"

Maria figured she was already as good as deported. She looked at the tiny woman, with her perfect hair, wild eyes and lipstick leaking into the fine lines around her mouth.

"Because it is true." she said. "You are a bad woman with a dark heart. Nobody loves you. They fear you, but no one will care if you die. You husband was here in the kitchen before you squeezing my ass and rubbing against me. So even the one who gives you power hates you, but is afraid of you."

Quinn snapped out her hand and slapped her.

"I will destroy you, you bitch! I'll kill you!"

The kitchen door swung open and Ben Bradley's head popped in, "Sally, what's the hold up? Dr. Gupta wants to talk with you."

"Coming sweetie" she crooned. Then she turned to the caterer, Margarita. "She's fired. See me after the party." she stopped at the door, paused, put on her hostess face, then pushed through the swinging door.

Annette, a late addition to the catering staff, reached into her pocket to check her iPod. Good, the light was still on, it was all recorded. "Sally Quinn isn't the only person who has power in this city" she thought. The exchange will be at the heart of her new book. 'The D.C. Caterer Chronicles' for Putnum. She wondered who would play her in the movie. If Selma Hayek is too old for the part, maybe she could get Penelope Cruz.