By Misti Velvet Rainwater
Date: 8 January 2000

12th scene

SCENE 12- INT.- Mexican restaurant in
Acuna, Mexico. Day.
Derek and Becca are sitting at a table.
Derek is wearing a sombrero. He's drinking
a Pina Colada. Becca is drinking a Margarita.
Derek: I like this immensely. Sitting here in
Acuna, Mexico on a sunlit Saturday morning
with a beautiful, congenial stranger.
Becca: I wish you wouldn't call me that.
Derek: But, Becca, darlin'- you are
beautiful and you are congenial and you
are a stranger! I just met you ten hours 
ago. I know that your name is Becca and 
you like to drink and smoke and dance
and sing. I know that you're as crazy
as I am.
Becca: What else do you need to know to
make me any less strange to you? I sleep
on the left side of the bed. I sleep with
the closet light on. I sleep in Goodwill
t-shirts. I don't eat breakfast. I take a
bubblebath every night. I waste my money
on candles and incense and used CDs and
celebrity obsessed magazines. I hate red
wine, love white wine, and if I ever win 
the lottery I intend to move to Spain and
be a recluse. 
Derek: I guess now is as good a time as
any for me to propose marriage. Becca,
darlin, will you road trip with me even
further to Las Vegas and take me as your
awful wicked husband in one of those tacky
little neon chapels that have relegated
Elvis Presley to demi god status?
Becca: Oh, Derek. I can take being called
"darlin'" so casually. That's fine. I'm
the most stoic bitch you'll ever encounter.
But I cannot allow you to make a mockery
of the institute of marriage. Don't you
realize how sacred it is? I know it's
become a sick, humorless joke in America
and a lot of people are like lemmings...
they just do it 'cause they're programmed
to do it or whatever. I know the dismal
divorce rate in our country. But let me
tell you something, you Scorpio on the
cusp of Sagittarius with a face like Ethan
Hawke and a voice that reduces me to a puddle
at your feet- I still believe in the sanctity
of marriage. I believe in John and Yoko and
crying at the altar and meaning every word.
I believe in natural childbirth and naming the
first baby after his grandfather or her
grandmother. I believe in baking Christmas
cookies and hanging stockings from the
hearth. I believe in antique quilts and
scrapbooks and old churches with stained
glass windows and wooden pews without 
cushions. Oh, here are my enchiladas.
(The waiter delivers the food they
ordered. Beef enchiladas for Becca,
chicken fajitas for Derek.)
Becca: Gracias, senor. Muy bueno. Yo
quiero mas cerveza- uh, mi amigo
(motions to Derek)...por favor.
Gracias.
Derek: What did you say to him?
Becca: I said-
Derek: Forget that. I want to know
what else you believe in.
Becca: I told him to bring you some
more beer. God, you look goofy in that
sombrero with that earnest look on your
face. No, don't take it off! The sombrero 
or the expression! Keep 'em both on!
Sorry I said anything. I'm so bad about
spoiling moments. My mind is always
going. But it never can catch up with
my stupid mouth.
Derek: Your mouth is not stupid, my
dear. Your mouth is smart and tantalizing
and I want to kiss it so bad it hurts but
not just yet. First...I want to hear it
talk some more.
Becca: Yes, master. That's one thing you
must know about me. I'm such a genie
when it comes to love. But I never 
number the wishes. Wishes are limitless
with me.
Derek: I wish you would pick up where you
left off. Damn that waiter and his witless
timing. He can forget about a tip.
Becca: (Laughing) Oh, come on. God, these
are so good. Okay, um...I believe in...
now. Now is really good. But I'm guessing
you want to hear about then and when.
Derek: No! Don't edit yourself and don't
worry about me. Pretend like I'm a tape
recorder. You're drunk and radiant and
spectacular. Just go with it.
Becca: What can I say? I'm complex. I
make no sense. I'm a crazed sensualist.
I'm a five year old. I love wild, 
uninhibited animal sex and dirty talk
in bed and I love swinging super dangerous
high and riding the merry-go-round 'til
I'm dizzy. 
Derek: God, girl. I'm gonna have to buy
you a ring. A friendship ring.
Becca: Wonderful. Here, try these.
They're really good.
(feeds Derek some enchiladas)
(he eats them with relish)