WARNING! ==> The below scenes contain spoilers pertaining to the film Ask the Dust - Please be forewarned before proceeding, as I will not be held responsible for ruining the film for anybody. If you continue reading, you acknowledge that you may indeed read spoiler material.

Also, please, it took me a VERY long time to write all of this out, so do NOT copy it and post it elsewhere! This material is written by Writer/Director, Robert Towne, and transcribed here by me. Thank you.

SCENE ONE:
(knock on the door. Arturo rises from his desk)
Arturo: Who is it? (no answer - he walks to the door and opens it, revealing a woman he’s never seen before, Vera.)
Vera: (accusingly) What are you doing?
Arturo: Do I know you? (Vera looks at him and walks past, entering his hotel room and walking to his desk at the far side of the room) Who are you?
Vera: (reading from his manuscript) "He took her roughly in his arms, she pressed herself against his throbbing loins... ‘Don’t stop, don’t ever stop...’" (she looks disgusted; Arturo reaches out and rips the paper from her hands - she rolls her eyes)
Arturo: Hey, that’s private!
Vera: I hope so. It should never be made public. (She walks across the room towards his bed and turns to him) It’s pitiful - and sad. Hopelessly bad writer buried in a cheap hotel in Bunker Hill... In Los Angeles, of all places. (she scoffs) They’ll never read what you write.
Arturo: (still weirded out by her) That’s not really my writing.
Vera: They won’t even have the chance to forget it. (She flops down on his bed)
Arturo: Say, what’s going on? Where did you come from? (she chuckles, close to passing out) Is this a gag?
Vera: (softly) You’re nobody... I might have been somebody... Here we are. (half-passes out)
Arturo: (walks over to the bed, concerned - he nudges her, but she doesn’t respond) Lady... Lady! You gotta sober up... (she moves slightly and moans) How ‘bout a little fresh air?
Vera: We could go out and have a drink... (she holds up some money) On me. (she starts to settle into his bed more, and he just shoves her to get her up)
Arturo: Lady? (nothing) Good idea, let’s have a drink. (he grabs her arm and pulls her up off the bed and out the door)

SCENE TWO (cont. from Scene 1):
(Arturo walks down the street to a near-by tavern with Vera stumbling happily alongside him, holding his arm and laughing [ the ‘Idina laugh’, haha ])
Vera: You’re going to be so marvelous!! Hahaha, so wonderful! (some inaudible mumbling, whooping and laughing)
Arturo: Let’s forget it, let’s just walk...
Vera: Alright, but we’re having a drink! I insist! (holds up the money again) Look, money!
Arturo: Ok! We’ll have a drink! Just put that back in your purse!
(they approach the tavern, Arturo trying to keep her calm - They walk in and it’s rather deserted.)
Bartender: Mr. Bandini!
Arturo: Hello, Solomon, how’s business?
Bartender: To be sure, Mr. Bandini, I added a pinball machine for the customers. Short beer, am I right?
Vera: (jumping in) Whiskey. Lots of whiskey.
Arturo: (talking to Vera, referring to the Bartender) Does he know you?
Vera: (not listening - she stares at his lips and draws closer to him) Your mouth, your wonderful mouth... God, what a mouth... (moves to kiss him, but he pulls away)
Arturo: No, let’s... have a drink first.
(Vera stops, offended. She turns back to face the bar and scoffs, slightly - it’s almost a painful laugh)
Arturo: (concerned) What’s wrong?
Vera: Ha, you know what’s wrong...
Arturo: No. I don’t.
Vera: (angry) You’re just like the rest of them. You know!
Arturo: (frustrated) Know what??
Vera: (now on the verge of tears) That’s why you won’t kiss me!
Bartender: (brings their drinks) Here we go. One short beer. Your whiskey.
Vera: (now she’s pissed) Who was it?
Arturo: Who’s what?
Vera: Who told you about my WOUNDS?
Arturo: (dumbfounded) Your... wounds? (she doesn’t respond but looks rather sick - he changes the subject out of annoyance) Do you have a nickel? I love pinball machines. One game, would you mind?
Vera: (she immediately perks up and smiles broadly - she pulls out a nickel and hands it to him) Whatever my darling wishes.
Arturo: (takes it and stands up) Thank you. (he walks to the machine and starts to play - Vera never takes her eyes off of him – after a moment, he calls to the bartender) Can you come over here? For some reason, something’s...
Vera: (happily) Play, play!
Arturo: (whispers to the bartender) Who is that woman?
Bartender: Who knows? She was in a week before last - You were talking about Sinclair Lewis, and that {inaudible, sorry}...
Arturo: I didn’t notice her.
Bartender: Well she noticed you. Believe you me. Listened to every word you said. Every single word. And when you left, she left.
Arturo: (staring straight ahead) What’s she doing now?
(Shot of Vera, sitting and smiling at them, waving cutely.)
Bartender: Watchin’ you like a prize dog.
Arturo: I gotta get out of here.
Bartender: (even quieter) Door opposite the men’s room.
(Arturo laughs and finishes his game, then starts to move towards the bathroom)
Vera: Is - is everything alright, darling? (holds up a coin) Do you need another nickel?
Arturo: No, no... I just gotta use... (points to the door and moves out of sight)
(a moment later, he bursts out the side of the tavern and runs down the street towards his hotel, leaving Vera alone in the bar)

SCENE 3 (cont. from Scene 2):
(Arturo jumps through his open window into the hotel room and glances up ... Only to find a relaxed Vera sitting at his desk waiting for him - He cries out in shock and fear)
Arturo: Oh my god!
Vera: (calmly) Darling! I took a cab and the door was open.
Arturo: Don’t you think this has gone far enough?
Vera: (holding another section of Arturo’s manuscript, she reads) "I see them in the lobbies of hotels, I see them sunning in the park, and limping out of little ugly churches. Disposed in this place where the seasons never change." (impressed) That’s more like it.
Arturo: Will you please get out?
Vera: (seductively, she gets closer to him) You’re my darling and you’re going to love me.
Arturo: (moves her away) Some other time. I think you better go, I mean it.
Vera: (grimaces at him) I know how I revolt you. That you know what my clothes are covering up.
Arturo: Know WHAT? I don’t even know your name!
Vera: Vera Rifkin. Back east I had a real life. Friends... who knew about H.L. Mencken and Edna St. Vincent Millay ... (crestfallen) Now I’m a housekeeper. I work for a nice Jewish family in Long Beach. I’m tired... tired of housekeeping. Then one day I saw you at Soloman's. And I heard you talk - And I went and I bought your story! And I read it. And I felt... that you were someone who could look at me and see me for what I am. So I followed you home. (shakes her head) So stupid. (laughs, embarrassed) Hopeless. But I’m really a good person, honestly I am. (she starts to cry)
Arturo: (hands her a handkerchief) Here. What do you want me to do?
Vera: (goes quickly to him, tears streaming down her face, desperate) Tell me - Tell me I’m like other women! Tell me I’m beautiful! Please!
Arturo: (rubs her shoulders) You ARE beautiful. Really, you are. This is just a childish obsession, maybe... a hangover from the mumps ... Honestly... (quietly) plenty of men would give anything...
Vera: (calms down and moves back from him) Let me show you something. (she starts to tug at her clothes)
Arturo: You don’t have to show me anything.
Vera: You’re gonna see it for yourself. (begins to remove her dress) Undo this, please.
Arturo: Look, you’ve convinced me, alright?
*SPOILER WARNING, again*
(Vera proceeds to take off her dress, revealing a white slip. She angrily throws the dress on the bed and begins to pull the slip off her shoulders - Arturo glances at her, but tries to not stare at her - The camera sees Vera’s back [Arturo’s front] as she pulls the slip off. As it falls down her back to her hips and past, it reveals a large burn, beginning from her left hip going all the way across her buttocks and down her leg. She stands there naked in front of Arturo, who is looking away.)
Vera: (notices his aversion) Yeah... yeah I thought so. You know all about that.
Arturo: (looks back up, indicating her scars) So what’s the fuss? That’s nothin’.
Vera: (long silence) Tell that to my husband. Deformed... disfigured... disgusting... That’s what he said.
(Arturo looks at her, sees the pain and hurt in her eyes - He walks towards her and stops close to her face)
Arturo: I said... You look beautiful. (he leans in and kisses her - She responds eagerly.)
Vera: (they stop and after a moment passes, she looks down at herself, embarrassed) Look at me... I’m so sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I... I don’t know what is in my head. (she reaches down to gather up her clothes and put them on again)
Arturo: Please... [no clue what he says here]... Take it easy.
(They move towards the door as she begins to leave - She looks back at him, a grateful look on her face. She continues down the hallway and Arturo closes the door. He turns back to the room but something on the bed catches his eye. Camilla’s red flower he had taken from her lie on his pillow, with a small note attached. He picks it up and begins to read it.)
Vera (voice over): "Dear Boy, of course I should have known you’d have a girlfriend. Is she very beautiful? She’s very lucky. Is she also kind and generous? Would she ever allow you to come to Long Beach... if only for an hour?"

[scene fades away]

[15 or so minutes later, this next scene occurs]

SCENE 4:
(Arturo travels to Long Beach, taking the bus - He arrives at Vera’s apartment building, which is near the pier and the roller coasters. He knocks on her door and she giddily opens the door, sporting a little flowery frock.)
Arturo: You look wonderful. (sees the coaster outside of her window) Hey, that’s quite a sight. (she smiles and giggles, leading him inside)
Vera: So are you. Sit. (he does in a small armchair - she scurries into the kitchen and brings out a glass of cold beer for him)
Arturo: (takes a sip) Good.
Vera: Aww, darling... You’re tired.
Arturo: A little.
Vera: Working late, as usual?
Arturo: I wasn’t working last night.
Vera: (grinning) Bad boy.
Arturo: I need to tell you something.
Vera: Let me guess. Out with your best girl?
Arturo: (sadly) She’s not my best girl.
Vera: You mean you don’t love her anymore? Oh dear...
Arturo: She doesn’t love me. As unlikely as that seems...
Vera: She doesn’t love you?
Arturo: She hates my guts.
Vera: She couldn’t do that, how could you possibly...
Arturo: Probably because I insult and humiliate her every chance I get.
Vera: (in disbelief) You wouldn’t... You couldn’t do those... things.
Arturo: Oh yeah? I call her "spick", "greaser", and every name in the book, and that’s when I’m in a good mood. She’s Mexican.
Vera: (suddenly shocked and frightened - she sits on the bed, and grabs hold of a pillow) Oh... oh my god... (she gasps and starts to rock back and forth, clutching the pillow) oh my god oh my god oh...
Arturo: What happened?? Vera??
Vera: God’s punishing me!
Arturo: (confused, once again) Right now?!?
Vera: What do you do to Jewish girls?
Arturo: Jewish girls?!?!
Vera: (hysterical now) Don’t hit me! You can call me names, but don’t hit me!!
Arturo: (trying to calm her down) I’m NOT going to hurt you! Look, if I wanted to hurt you, I didn’t have to come all the way to Long Beach, I could have done it in my room! (Vera is still freaked) Oh for Pete’s sake, WHY would I hurt you? Why would I bother, I don’t even love you!
Vera: (anger has replaced fear now) Then why did you come here?
Arturo: I thought it would make someone happy. Now look, I’m sorry, if I can just get my coat?...
Vera: (understanding now) Is that why you insult her? Is that why you insult her, because you can’t make her happy?
Arturo: (thinks about it) All I know is that she usually starts it.
Vera: (stands up) How? What does she say?
Arturo: It’s not so much what she says...
Vera: What does she do?
Arturo: ... Sometimes she’ll walk across the room... That’s pretty insulting. Or serve me coffee in a brand new uniform... That’s about as insulting as anything gets. She’s perfect. Like the weather. Air and fog, eucalyptus, sunlight... the perfect place to live. Then WE come along... dig for gold, drill for oil, get into the movies. Build these crappy hotels and dirty streets. We don’t even come here to live, we just dig it up. Mess it up, grab whatever we can get. (Vera listens quietly) This is her home. If God had any sense or decency, he’d blow us all to Hell and leave her home the way it was... pure and perfect... like her.
Vera: Why don’t you tell her these things?
Arturo: I don’t tell her this. It would sound like an insult. No matter what I say to Camilla, it sounds like an insult.
Vera: (stands and walks towards him - he sits in the chair now - she stands before him) Then tell it to me.
Arturo: What for?
Vera: Pretend I’m her. I’ll believe you.
Arturo: Look, I’d like to, but...
Vera: (moves to her wardrobe and holds up a colorful wrap around her shoulders, pretending to be Camilla) I am... Princess Camilla. And all this beautiful land belongs to me. There’s no Americans here, no Los Angeles... just me. In the desert and the mountains and the sea. And... and then...
Arturo: (watching her move across the floor, pretending now) Then... I come.
Vera: And then you come. And you are?
Arturo: I’m myself, Arturo Bandini.
Vera: The writer. Genius of the Earth... has come here for me - But I am proud... and I resist... (moves from side to side) and resist... (slams to the floor, lying on her back) and resist! Until finally... (crawls back up, inching towards Arturo’s legs) you’re irresistible. Your powers are [unknown]... you overwhelm me. (Arturo’s really starting to get into this, as he now looks at her with different eyes - Vera gets closer, moving her hands up his legs) You conquer me. You’re like a great (she pushes further up) ... conquistador. (she crawls into his lap and he holds her closer) You’re my Cortez...
Arturo: (softly) That’s funny, I’m Italian... (he can’t resist her anymore, she’s successfully seduced him - she grabs hold of him and goes in for the kiss)
Vera: C’mere, Italian!... (they begin kissing and then it fades to black.)
CUT TO:
(Arturo walks out of the bathroom, having just finished putting clothes back on. Vera lies on the bed, satisfied. He walks over and looks at her, she smiles)
Vera: You’re very kind.
(Arturo walks out of the apartment and closes the door.)

MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW! DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW!

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(Arturo walks around the pier, watching the games and fun being had. Suddenly, a huge earthquake erupts underneath his feet, splitting the earth and cracking the pier. This lasts for a moment and Arturo quickly returns to Vera’s apartment complex, which has collapsed completely. Police are on the scene recovering the dead. As Arturo watches, he sees them standing over the figure of a woman - we can only see a protruding arm - and they identify the woman as Vera. Arturo, saddened by Vera’s fate, promises her that he’ll write a story for her, creating a life that she deserved to live.)