Once A Thief

OPENING
rNT. STUDY - NTGHT
A torchlight shines across the carpeted floor
Marty, jacket hood up, rrralks slowly, placi-ng one foot in
front of the other. His shoes are enclosed in plastic
bags. Hj-s ho1da1l is on his back. I'larty swings his torch.
The light picks up -
Glass-topped desk with a large computer and a rnass of
computer kit. A bookcase with one book.
Marty moves closer and shines his torch on the walI. He
scrutinj-ses a PICTURE of the Algarve, The picture is
fastened to the waII and IIINGED. Marty swings the
picture. It reveals the BLACK MASS DOOR OF A SAFE.
Marty holds hi-s breath, Ii-stening.
The muffled sound of a DOG barking in the distance is
heard.
Marty swings hie holdall to the floor. He adjusts his
glasses and gets to work opening the safe.
LATER
Marty locks the safe and replaces the picture. He hoists
the holdaIl on his back and retraces his steps to the
door.
TIALL.
Marty walks briskly towards the front door. Staj-rs curve
upwards to his right. He reaches out to open the door,
when -
The door flies open.
The tall fi.gure of GEORGE GODI{IN fills the doonaay. He is
outlined against light flooding j-n from an overhead lamp
outside. George's shoulder bag slips off and falls to the
f1oor.
Marty freezes in shock.
2.
INT. GROUND FLOOR, APPARTMENT FLAT - DAY
TRACY (20 ) stands with folded arms and a res.i-gned look
on her face watching her mother, DIEDRE (42).
Diedre is applying lipstick, holding a sma1l folding
mirror. She snaps the mirror shut and stuffs it into a
shoulder bag. She is smartly dressed to go out. She
glances at TracY.
DIEDRE
Seen enough?
rRACY
Do you have to go? You were out
last night.
DIEDRE
It's mY daY offl
Diedre gives her a hard stare.
DIEDRE
Do something about Your hair,
Tracy. You look a mess. No
wonder you got the sack again.
TRACY
Excuseme*Ileft!
DIEDRE
I'm not putting uP with this much
longer, TracY. You need to start
paying your way. And be nice to
Roddy. He'lI be here in a minute.
TRACY
What happened to Pete?
DIEDRE
He didn't renew his club
subscriptj-on.
She moves cIose, confiding.
DTEDRE
Roddy's got a jag. And we're off
to Richmond.
Tracy smirks.
( CoNTTNUED )
3.
CONTINUED:
DIEDRE
At least I'Il get a decent meal
out of him!
Tracy smirks again.
Dledre rounds on her, angry.
DIEDRE
He's not a waste of space like
your my girll
They glare at each other.
The doorbell rj-ngs.
Diedre hurries from the room. Tracy follows her.
INT. NAP.ROW HALLWAY
Dj-edre opens the front door, beaming. RODDY (29) enters.
He kisses Diedre on the cheek, Iooki-ng beyond her at
Tracy.
Tracy pulls a face.
Diedre bundles Roddy out again. She turns and blows Tracy
a mock klss.
DIEDRE
Bye, darling.
The door closes behind them.
Trace stares hard at the closed door and sighs. She
straightens up and gives herself a shake.
rNT. APPARTMENT FLAT.
Tracy comes into the room and sj-ts at a tab1e. She
unfolds a LOCAL PAPER and turns to the back pages.
She runs a finger down the JOB ADVERTS. Her finger stops
at a SUPER}iIARKET advert.
INT. SUPERMARKET * DAY - TLASHBACK
In an isLe at the back of the store, Tracy is breaking up
CARDBOARD BOXES used for displaying produce etc. She
throws a wedge of cardboard into a -
(coNTTNUED)
L.
CONTINUED:
WASTE BIN some way down the isle and - misses'
Tracy giggles.
The MANAGER appears looking furious. He wags a finger at
Tracy and points at the store exit door.
Tracy shrugs, she removes her tabard and throws it down.
She walks passed the manager and out of the store'
INT. HAIRDRESSER SA],ON _ DAY - FLASHBACK
Tracy is sweeping haj-r off the floor. She Stops and helps
a CUSTOMER unwind a curler from her hair' It gets
entangled.
The HAIR STYLIST notices and throws her hands up, irate.
Tracy storms out.
EXT. - CARPARK BOOTH - DAY - FLASHBACK
Tracy is j-n the ticket booth.
A MAN stands outside. He waves a parking ticket at Tracy
and shouts obscenities -
Tracy puts her hands over her ears. The man's face
disaiplars as she slams down the booth opening hatch.
FLASHBACK ENDS.
APPARTI{ENT FLAT _ SAME
Trace's screws up the paper and gets up from the table.
TRACY
AlI rubbish jobs!
HALLWAY
Tracy takes a very short summer jacket from a coat rack
on tire watl, and Efips it on over her orange tee-shirt.
Her jeans are ripped and she wears short brown boots.
Tracie opens the front door and leaves the flat.
5.
EXT. MARKET - DAY
A typical bustling (permanent) North London market with a
variety of stalls. Tracy walks through the market,
looking disgruntled.
VEGETABLE STA],L
JIM {24) sta}l seller assistant, oodles Tracy as she
passes. She does not notice hj-m.
SMALL SHOPS
Tracy passes a row of sma1l shops. She stops at a
LOCKSMITH SHOP.
In the window, a NOTICE reads: APPRENTICE WANTED.
Tracy stands for a while pondering. She glances up and
sees above the doorway: HOLMES & SON.
Tracy pushes the door open.
INT. SHOP _ DAY
The door be1I pings as Tracy comes j-nto the shop.
MARTY HOLI\'1ES(65) is sitting on a stool behind a counter.
He looks neat 1n a sports jacket and green tie. His large
horned-rimmed glasses are perched above his forehead on
his bolding head. Behind him are rows of keys on hooks.
He smiles benignly at Tracy as she approaches.
TRACY
Can f have a word about your sign -
the apprentj-ce thing, that is?
T,IARTY
Are you j-nterested?
Yes, r anr, ,"rlTtlhink r am. '
Marty lowered his glasses and looked her up and down.
}4ARTY
What's your narne then?
Tracy shifts from leg to leg, aware of his scruti-ny.
(coNTTNUED)
6.
CONTINUED:
TRACY
Tracy, Tracy Hines. Sorry I'm not
Iooking very smart. I usually have
an overall on over all this.
MARTY
Well not-very-smart Tracy Hines,
do you fancy a cuppar w€ could go
to the cafe and have a chat?
EXT. MARKET - DAY
Popular Marty is greeted by sta1l-holders as he walks
through the market wj-th Tracy following hlm.
Jim is twisting a RUBIC CUBE behind the sta1l. He stops
and looks up as tracy passes.
Tracy has a half-smile on her face, but does not
acknowledge him.
CONSTABLE STRONG (in police uni-form) stands slightly
apart from the stalls glowering at his mobile phone.
INT. CAFE - DAY
The popular market caf6 is crowded and noisy. Marty is
sj-tting opposite Tracy at a small table. He leans forward
to hear her. They talk as they drink their coffee.
MARTY
So, Tracy, teIl me about yourself.
TRACY
( shrugs ) Won't take long.
Marty surreptitiously glances around at -
Two tough-looking MEN sitting a few tables behind them.
Marty turns back. i{e sips his coffee and looks at Tracy,
wai-ting.
Tracy takes a deep breath.
TRACEY
f live with my Mum in a flat in
Islington. Dad left when f was
eleven.
(MORE )
(coNTrNuED)
7.
CONTTNUED:
TRACEY (CONT'D)
He was a carpenter, and he went
off with a female Ameri-can c1i-ent
to the States. (beat) O.K. I'11 be
honest with you. I've just left
some of the woret jobs in the
world. And I need something
interesting or I'11 die of
boredom.
MARTY
So you think you want to become a
locksmi-th? I'm not after someone just to serve customers at the
counter you know, I want someone
to learn the trade, to help with
everything.
TRACY
Yes, yes, it sounds j-nteresting
and I want to learn. And f like
making things. f'm good with my
fingers.
}4ARTY f guess that means you are
manually dexterous. What I do 1s
quj-te technical in a way, you know
i-t, s
TRACY
Mr Holmes, is that right?
MARTY
Yes, but call me Marty.
TRACY
I didn't do weII at school but I'm
not stupid. Actually, I thJ-nk I'm
quite bright.
Marty sj-ts back and takes a long slow sip of his coffee,
contemplating.
MARTY I have to say I imagined that
anyone I took on would be a little
older - and have a technical
quallficatlon of some sort.
Marty's phone rings.
(coNTrNuED)
8.
CONTINUED: (2\
MARTY
Sorry, must take this... What'e
that, love?..Yes, I know. Yes. I'm
in the caf6 Dow. I'm actually
interviewing a possible
apprentic€. . .Later, yes. Bye.
Marty puts the phone down. IIe smiles at Tracy who looks
anxious.
MARTY
My wife, Mary. (beat) You know
what, Tracy, f think we mlght make j-t work. I like that you've been
honest and seem ready for a
challenEe. And I'm not getting any
younger.
Trace clasps her hands in front of her face and grins.
}4ARTY Start on Monday and I'11 give you
a week's money at the end of the
first week before going on a
monthly basis. Write down your
name and address and phone number
and f give you a formalconfirmation
when you come in on
Monday. Sharp mj-nd. On the dot.
That's rule one.
He smiles.
TRACY
O.K. Thanks for giving me a chance
Mr. . .Marty. Monday, 9 o'clock.
EXT. MARKET - DAY
Tracy walks back through the market again, talking into
her phone.
TRACY
You'll be pleased when you get
this Mum. I've got myself a proper
job. Wowee!
Tracy switches off. She flips her hand at Jim as she
passes.
Jim's rubric cube completed is on a chair behind the
sta11.
9.
rNT. SHOP - DAY
Monday morning. Tracy stands outside Marty's
at her watch. She is dressed conventionally
summer skj-rt and black ankle-length boote.
shop ina
looking
short
fracy jurnps when Marty suddenly addresses her,
},IARTY
Morning yout Riqht, on time, I see.
Good start, 1et's get my litt1e
emporium opened up shall we?
Marty inserts a key in the door.
CUT TO:
INT. SHOP
Tracy is sitting on a high stool- behind the counter
drinking a mug of coffee. Marty stands beside her.
MARTY
It's like this see, there's three
thi-ngs. First there's things you
can do immediately like selling an
item like a padloLk.
Marty points at a shelf of PADLOCKS on the opposite waI1.
TRACY
I can work a till. Mum showed me.
She works at a sport's c1ub.
Marty nods, pleased.
I4ARTY
Next there's things you'Il pick up pretty quickly like cutting keys.
Tracy leans forward looking past Marty at -
An intimidating-Iooking GRTNDING MACHINE.
rt's rea11y "ffill.forward. And
don't worry, f '11 show you. Then thirdly there is more complicated stuff, safes and so on.
Safes ?
TRACY
(CoNTTNUED)
10.
CONTTNUED:
MARTY
I'11 1et you come out with me.
There'll be a good bit of learning
and practice involved in that
area.
The door befl pings as an elderly LADY comes into the
shop with an wobblj-ng shopping trolley.
Marty goes to help her straightened the wheels.
MARTY
Morning Mrs Brj-ght. Lost your
front door key again have you?
MRS BRIGHT
(fumbling in her
pocket )
No Marty, not this time. I just
want a duplicate for my son,
please.
She hands l{arty a YALE KEY.
GRINDING MACHINE
Tracy stands close to Marty watching him gri-nd a
duplicate key.
She is sprayed with IiIETAILIC DUST and stands back.
MRS BRTGHT (V.O. ) You'll need an apron, Dearie.
FADE OUT.
BRING UP. A LARGE CLOCK on the wa1I shows the time
9.15am. FX. The IIANDS of the clock SPIN around the clockface
twice. They stop at 11.30am.
The shop door pings as Tracy comes in carrying two
packets of sandwiches.
Marty emerges from his stockroom/office holding two
prj-nted sheets of paper.
MARTY
Outside jobs now. Some poor soul
is sitting on the pavement locked
out of his house, and there's a
safe needs opening. You up for it?
( CoNTTNUED )