The Bike Thief

Please Recycle

EXT. RECYCLING CENTER - NIGHT

The recycling center is cluttered and resembles a junkyard.  Sal’s van pulls up and parks next to it.  Doug, carrying a plastic bag filled with beer and soda cans, gets out.  He walks over to Sal’s rolled-down window.

DOUG

You stay here.  I’m gonna go check things out.

FENCE

Doug opens a gate and walks into the recycling center.  He sees the service counter.  RECYCLING MAN, an unpleasant, unattractive man, is sleeping on the counter.  Doug approaches.

COUNTER

DOUG (CONT’D)

Uh, excuse me.

Recycling Man stirs.

RECYCLING MAN

Huh?

(noticing Doug)

Oh.

Doug hefts the bag of cans.

DOUG

I want to redeem these.

He gives the bag to the man.

RECYCLING MAN

I gotta weigh ‘em.  Hold on.

He walks to the back and disappears, but quickly returns.

RECYCLING MAN (CONT’D)

Your total comes to thirty-eight cents.

DOUG

(appalled)

Thirty-eight cents?

RECYCLING MAN

Would you like that in cash?  I can write a check if you prefer.

DOUG

Cash.  Jeez.

The recycling man opens his drawer.

DOUG (CONT’D)

Hold on a sec, will you?  I’ll be right back.

EXT. RECYCLING CENTER

Sal helps him unload the stolen aluminum bicycle from the back of the van.

SAL

Remember.  Don’t take no for an answer.

COUNTER

Doug reappears with the bicycle.

DOUG

I couldn’t interest you in this, could I?

Recycling Man eyes him with suspicion.

RECYCLING MAN

What on earth would I do with that?  My spandex shorts are at the cleaners.

DOUG

Check it out.

He points to the frame.

DOUG (CONT’D)

Aluminum.

Recycling Man thinks it over for a rather long time.

RECYCLING MAN

Okay.  Let me put it on the scale.

Doug helps him move the bike over the counter.  Recycling Man wheels the bike to the back of the shop and weighs it.  He comes to the front and starts tapping figures into a calculator.

RECYCLING MAN (CONT’D)

(to himself)

Okay.  You got your bike weighing about.  Minus the weight of the tires.  Aluminum going for.

He finishes the calculation and looks at Doug.

RECYCLING MAN (CONT’D)

I’ll give you eight bucks.

DOUG

Sold!

EXT. RECYCLING CENTER

Sal is leaning against the van, smoking.  He perks up when he hears Doug’s footsteps.

SAL

(impatient)

Well?

Doug holds up the eight dollars in cash.

SAL (CONT’D)

He took it?

DOUG

He says there’s more where that came from.

SAL

All right, you old pirate.  I knew you hadn’t gone soft on me.

(beat)

So what do we do now?

DOUG

What do you think we do?  We go and get us more bikes.