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HARD KNOCKS
By
David Marciano
148 Fargo Ave.
Buffalo NY, 14201
(716 )885-3697
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FADE IN:
EXT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Three sharply dressed men all in their mid twenties standing outside of a ritzy restaurant waiting for their car.
It’s a very dark and cold night in the quite town of Buffalo NY. The snow has been falling for weeks and doesn’t show any signs of letting up. Most of the people have made this night a Blockbuster night and are cuddled up by the fire; with the exception of a few.
TITLE IN:
MIKEY HAWK TONY
BUFFALO, NEW YORK
1996
Tony and Hawk discover some warmth from their overcoats that they have buttoned tightly to their necks as they dangle cigarettes from their bottom lips.
HAWK
Come on, where the fuck is this guy?
TONY
I know, where the fuck did he park?
Toronto?
Mikey blowing into his hands trying to retain some body heat.
MIKEY
Jesus Christ, I’m freezing my balls off.
HAWK
Maybe next time you’ll wear
A jacket.
MIKEY
A jacket will ruin my outfit.
1
Tony shakes his head.
TONY
This guy ain’t getting a tip.
HAWK
You weren’t going to tip him anyways
You cheap fuck.
Two headlights appear off in the distance as Mikey turns his head he becomes aware of them.
MIKEY
Here he comes.
Hawk takes one last suck of enjoyment from his cigarette and then throws it on the ground to step on it. He turns his attention toward the headlights, squints his eyes as if he is trying to focus in on them.
HAWK
That’s not your car.
A White Lincoln Town Car pulls up and slams on its brakes adjacent to the guys.
Mikey, Tony, and Hawk are trying to peek inside the car, but can’t see due to the tinted windows.
The barrel from a gun protrudes the window.
Three loud gunshots echo through the quite streets of Buffalo, one after another. The speeds away screeching its tires and disappears into the night.
Mikey, Tony, and Hawk all lie motionless on the sidewalk.
ROLL CREDITS
EXT. DOWNTOWN BUFFALO - NIGHT
The Buffalo skyline.
END CREDITS
INT. HOSPITAL - DAY
1
An ailing man laying on a hospital bed with his head tilted toward the bright sunshine emanating through the window. His hair is thinning and his face is blotchy and sickly looking. His identity is still unrevealed.
In the background; a faint beep from a heart monitor and the sound of a pencil writing on a notebook, it’s slow and lethargic.
THE PATIENT (VO)
I have a story I would like to
Tell.
The patient coughs and gasps for air. His voice is deep and raspy.
THE PATIENT (VO)
I didn’t want this story to go forever
Untold...
(coughing)
it’s about three young men who were
the best of friends, and to them
that’s all they would ever need.
EXT. A CONVERTIBLE - DAY
TITLE IN:
1992
a sporty black convertible races down the highway with three young men inside on their way to work.
In the driver seat is Mikey Marciano. He is young and extremely good looking with a smile that lasts for days. There is a cocky and very confident way about him; a true ladies man.
All three men are laughing with one another.
In the passenger seat is Johnny “The Hawk” Miosi. He is a very anxious, hypochondriac type of person, but was blessed with the ability to make everyone laugh.
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Finally, in the back seat is Tony Foglia. A slightly overweight teddy bear. He is laid back, quiet guy, and usually doesn’t let much bother him. Just don’t piss him off.
All of them speak with a subtle Buffalo, New York Italian accent.
MIKEY
Did you tell your uncle he has to drive
You guys home today?
Mikey gawks at himself in the mirror and fondles his hair a bit.
TONY
Why? Where are you going?
HAWK
To get his fucking hair cut. Where the
Fuck do you think he’s going.
Mikey still in the mirror, but now he is running his fingers through his hair.
MIKEY
You know it, I got to look good for the
Ladies tonight.
Tony and Hawk make eye contact and roll their eyes.
TONY
Where are we going tonight?
MIKEY
Anywhere, but Utopia. That skank Veronica,
I fucked last week is going to be there.
She’s been calling me all week.
Mikey’s cell phone begins to ring, he frowns at it then at Hawk and Tony.
MIKEY
See what I mean.
1
TONY
But it’s seven A.M.
MIKEY
I told you she’s fucking nuts.
HAWK
You fucked Veronica Amico?
(gasps)
She’s got a body and a half, how was she?
I fucking love her.
Mikey throws his arm up in the air.
MIKEY
She’s awful, she has these crusty hammer
toes, they looked like French fries.
They made me physically sick.
Tony cracks a smile and starts to laugh.
HAWK
She could probably catch Salmon with
those things.
They all start to laugh together.
Mikey pretends to be gagging at the thought of her feet.
HAWK
Well, I’m out this weekend.
A confused Mikey cringes his eyebrows at Tony.
MIKEY
What the fuck are you talking about?
You’re out.
Tony grabs the two front seats and launches himself forward so his head is parallel to Mikey and Hawk.
1
TONY
Oh, he didn’t tell you?
(Looks at Hawk)
Go on tell him how much you
lost, again.
Hawk pauses and doesn’t want to tell Mikey.
MIKEY
Come on, someone tell...
(glances at Tony)
...how much?
An embarrassed Hawk covers his face, then shamefully glares at Mikey.
HAWK
Today’s paycheck.
MIKEY
You lost seven hundred?
HAWK
And then some.
TONY
Why the fuck do you keep gambling?
You never win shit.
Mikey nodding at pointing his thumb at Tony.
MIKEY
He’s got a good point Hawk. You got
to be the worst fucking gambler I ever seen
the bookies must cream in their pants
when they see you coming.
EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - DAY
The guys pull up to the job site where they work as laborers for Miosi Construction owned by Hawk’s Uncle Carl.
1
One by one they exit the car and head toward a trailer to report to work. They walk in and attempt to say hello to Uncle Carl, but as usual Uncle Carl is busy on the phone and gives them a hurry up and get to work wave.
They proceed outside and begin to walk toward the jack hammers and to gather their tools.
Hawk maneuver himself behind Tony and kicks the back of his leg to try and trip him. Tony stumbles a bit.
TONY
Grow up.
Mikey tries to grab a jack hammers and is stopped by Hawk.
HAWK
That one’s mine.
MIKEY
What the fucks the difference?
HAWK
That’s the one I used all week.
MIKEY
And you remembered which one it is?
HAWK
Yea, what’s wrong with that?
MIKEY
You’re a sick fucking bastard.
Mikey shaking his head with a slight grin and grabs another jack hammer then peeks at Hawk.
MIKEY
Is this one okay...
(raises an eyebrow)
...or do you want to fuck this one too?
A BIT LATER
The guys are diligently working, all pretty much in the same area. Mikey’s jack hammer comes to a sudden halt as he tries to get Hawk’s attention by vigorously waving his arm.
1
Hawk notices Mikey and turns off his jack hammer.
HAWK
What?
MIKEY
You’re coming out tonight, I don’t care
what you say.
HAWK
(sarcastically)
Ah, how, I have no money.
MIKEY
Don’t worry about that, me and tony will
take care of you; right Tony?
TONY
It won’t be the first time.
UNCLE CARL (OS)
(yelling)
I don’t hear those fucking jack hammers.
They all look up at Hawk’s uncle and wave with little smirks on their faces.
MIKEY
Your uncle needs to go get some pussy.
HAWK
(laughing)
I know...I know.
One by one the jack hammers return to their noise making as the boys still have smiles on their faces. The sweat is dripping off their heads as if they were in a sauna.
LATER
Tony and Hawk are eating their lunches and enjoying their much needed break.
Mikey approaches
1
MIKEY
Well sure wish I can join you two,
but Vito awaits.
TONY
Go fuck yourself.
MIKEY
Okay, as soon as I’m down with
your mother.
Mikey stretching his arms in the air, gloating at the fact that he gets to leave work early.
MIKEY
(yawns)
What do you guys have another five
hours of pure hell.
TONY
Fuck you.
Tony extends Mikey a warm greeting with his middle finger.
As Mikey is heading toward his car, he remembers something.
MIKEY
Oh yea, I’ll be at your house
at ten o’clock.
Mikey leans back falls on both knees and screams.
MIKEY
FREEDOM.
INT. VITO’S BARBERSHOP - DAY
As Mikey enters his eyes quickly glance around the room as he tries to estimate how many people are ahead of him. He immediately notices two men on the right, both engulfed in their magazines. To the left, an older gentlemen with ten hairs on his head sitting with a young boy; probably his grandson.
The room is condensed with a thick smog of cigarette smoke.
1
Vito the barber, a short and thin Italian immigrant who speaks with broken English. He is cutting and young mans hair with the phone on his ear and a cigarette dangling from his bottom lip, and right above him on the wall a no smoking sign.
MIKEY
Hey Vito how are you?
Vito’s attention is strayed from the young man and he nearly drops the phone.
VITO
Hey Mikey, How a you doin?
(Nodding)
-where are the other two knuckle
heads.
Mikey
Still at work.
VITO
Oh that’s right, today is Friday.
MIKEY
How many ahead?
Vito oscillates his head around the room and smirks.
VITO
Did you pack a lunch?
Mikey sets his sights on the table which is plastered with magazines. He shuffles through them trying to find one that tickles his fancy. Mikey is agitated and drained due to the fact he has a long wait ahead of him.
Mikey’s attention is captured by the magazine.
VITO (OS)
Guys night a out?
Mikey not positive that Vito is peaking ti him, but looks up anyway.
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MIKEY
Of course.
VITO
You going with Frick and Frac
MIKEY
Who else?
Mikey dips his head back into his magazine and lets out a soft sigh.
INT. HAWK & TONY’S APARTMENT
Hawk sitting on the couch shaking his head as he watches Tony struggle to iron his shirt.
Tony has the ironing board set up right in front of the T.V. with a beer on one end of the board and his shirt on the other. Tony is obsessed with ironing.
HAWK
Were going on twenty minutes now -_
I could’ve ironed my entire closet.
Tony gives Hawk the evil eye.
TONY
Shut the fuck up. Look at you, it
looks like you took your shirt out
of your glove compartment.
Hawk stands up and holds his arms out to look down at himself.
HAWK
I still look better than you.
TONY
Yea okay, I forgot your cool...
A loud knock on the door.
1
HAWK
Just shut the fuck up, and get
the door chubby.
Tony bites his knuckles and opens the door for Mikey.
Mikey walks in dressed to kill with perfectly combed hair.
MIKEY
I heard you two fags all the down
stairs, you argue like two fucking broads.
HAWK
It’s Tony, he’s been ironing for
an hour already.
MIKEY
What the fuck do you care how long
he irons for _-
-- Where’s the beer?
Mikey heading toward the kitchen
HAWK
(sarcastically)
In the oven. Where the fuck do you think
they are?
Tony holds up his shirt and smiles with total satisfaction.
TONY
Ahhh_ Perfection.
Tony carefully hangs up his shirt as his cell phone begins to ring.
TONY (OS)
Hello.
MIKEY
Who the fuck is calling you, all
of your friends are right here and
I know it’s not a girl because
you don’t get any pussy.
1
Tony waves him arm at Mikey to shut him up and heads to the back of the house.
Hawk starts to laugh.
HAWK
What’s on the agenda tonight?
MIKEY
Well I guess we’ll start at Soho, and
then go from there.
Mikey and Hawk begin to overhear Tony’s conversation.
TONY (OS)
(excited)
Come on really? Where?
That has definitely intrigued both Hawk and Mikey.
Hawk shakes his head no.
HAWK
Anyway, lets go to skybar tonight, I
heard it’s pumping with broads.
MIKEY
It fucking blows, all the girls
are 80's chicks, a lot of
Aquanet and Jordache in there...
TONY (OS)
There it is. I’m getting laid tonight.
Mikey and Hawk filled with curiosity both head over to Tony.
HAWK
Fucking a guy doesn’t count
(sarcastically)
You sucking cock again.
Mikey bursts out laughing.
1
TONY
Yea okay, come over here I’ll show you who’s
sucking cock. That my friends...
(smacking his teeth)
...was Sal Intorre.
Mikey and Hawk both baffled look at each other.
MIKEY & HAWK
(together)
Sal?
MIKEY
What the fuck did he want?
TONY
He invited us to an after hours party
on the beach.
HAWK
Doesn’t Sal still sell weed?
TONY
I don’t think so, I saw him the other day
and he had a Lexus and was wearing a suit.
MIKEY
On the beach? Who’s house is it?
TONY
His.
MIKEY
Well I think it’s safe to say he isn’t
selling weed anymore.
HAWK
This could be like one of those
Hollywood parties.
TONY
I know, I’m pumped, I’m gonna
get some ass tonight.
1
HAWK
But you haven’t had pussy since pussy had you.
TONY
Oh yea, he also said to dress nice.
Mikey with a devilish smirk looks at Tony and Hawk.
MIKEY
Well you two better change, as for me
I always dress nice.
Mikey glares at himself in the mirror and shoots himself with his fingers.
HAWK
You really are a fucking jerk.
(With a half laugh)
mikey
Now Tony this is a good opportunity
for you to get some action, don’t blow
it.
Tony and Hawk have both changed and they are heading to the door.
TONY
I don’t get laid because I’m waiting for the
right girl. I want her to love me for who I
am, and take care of me.
MIKEY
Oh I see, so you want to fuck your mother.
Hawk starts to laugh.
TONY
No, but I wouldn’t mind fucking yours.
Hawk continues to laugh now even harder.
MIKEY
Dam Tony, you got a big, fucked up
wrinkle on the back of your shirt.
1
Tony panics and starts to unbutton his shirt.
TONY
Where are you serious, Where?
Mikey nearly pissing himself.
MIKEY
I’m just kidding you sick bastard
-- Now no more mother jokes, okay?
The guys head down the stairs.
HAWK
Shotgun.
EXT. DOWNTOWN BUFFALO - NIGHT
The Chippewa strip is cluttered and chaotic with people of various ages wandering the streets looking for their next destination.
A limousine strolls through the traffic with two beautiful girls dressed in wedding apparel standing through the sunroof shouting at every guy.
Two bouncers are trying to control a fight that has taken place in one of the many bars.
A staggering drunk man, urinating in a parking lot using a random car as his cover.
Police officers are patrolling the corners, waiting for some idiot with beer muscles to start trouble.
People line up at a hot dog vendor in search of a late night snack.
EXT. / INT. SOHO BAR - NIGHT
As Mikey, Tony, and Hawk approach the entrance they notice a line almost a mile long. Soho is the place to be on the week-end.
1
They steer themselves around the line and run into three young girls waiting patiently at the end of it.
Mikey stops dead in his tracks and approaches them.
MIKEY
What are three gorgeous girls like
yourselves doing at the end of the line?
The girls all look at each other and laugh.
MIKEY
Come on, follow us.
Mikey leads everyone to the front of the line where he knows the bouncer at the door.
THE BOUNCER
Hey Mikey, What’s up?
How many?
Big shot Mikey turns to count everyone.
MIKEY
Six.
The bouncer waves them in.
Mikey pats him on the shoulder, and shakes his hand.
MIKEY
Thanks, Howie.
It’s a typical Friday night at Soho with people packed in and everyone struggling to get a drink at the bar, even the cocktail waitresses are having difficulty serving their drinks.