Jerry Maguire Deleted Scenes – Tidwell Meets Cush

INT.  DALLAS AIRPORT — DAY

Jerry struggles through the Dallas airport, is the last of his party to arrive at the B gate in Dallas.  Avery, tall and cool in a plaid skirt and shades, is in combat mode.  Nearby, Cush is surrounded by fans and fawning Airline Employees.  (“Where do you think you’re gonna end up, Cush?”  “You gonna be rich, dude!”) Tidwell looks jealous and ignored as he leans against the airline counter,unnoticed.  A lone kid approaches Tidwell.

KID
Are you Hootie?

TIDWELL
(irritated)
No man, I’m not Hootie.

Kid leaves disappointed.  Tidwell sinks lower.  Doesn’t anyone know his stardom, his essence, his power?

BOARDING ANNOUNCEMENT
All those disabled, and Frank Cushman
can board now…

INT. AIRPLANE — DAY

Jerry sits next to Cushman, who is reading Bukowski’s Notes of a Dirty Man.  Across the aisle is Tidwell, who sits next to Avery.  They are a small family, and Jerry feels at home with his operation.  Cush looks up suddenly.

CUSH
(a big thought)
Jerry.  Why does God sometimes reward
the evil and punish the good?

Jerry shares a look with Avery, who is on the other side of
Cush.  Her stockings swish as she crosses her legs.

JERRY
Let me think about that.  Want
something to drink?

CUSH
(thoughtful pause)
I see what you’re saying.

JERRY
Wait.  What do you mean?

The two men have now totally confused each other.  Tidwell leans across the aisle to Cush, attempting comraderie.

TIDWELL
Hey man, I wish I had a quarterback
like you in Arizona.  You’re the shit.

Cush looks up.  Compliments blow off him like a summer breeze.

CUSH
Thank ya.

Tidwell waits for a compliment of his own, but Cush doesn’t offer one.  He returns to the book.  Tidwell feels slighted.

TIDWELL
(loud mumble)
Well you ain’t that mothafuckin good.

CUSH
Say what?

TIDWELL
I said — last I heard, Jesus Christ
was still in heaven.  And you ain’t
even played in the NFL.

Cush throws his book away, ready for anything, as Tidwell rises.  Nearby passengers begin to panic.

JERRY
This can’t be happening to me.

AVERY
Jerry!  Do something —

Jerry throws himself in front of Cushman.

JERRY
HEY.  Knock it off.  What are you,
five years old?  Am I taking the
kids to Chuck E. Cheese here?  Grow
up, both of you!  We are a family.
And we go the draft in an ORDERLY
FASHION.

Beat.  Jerry wonders if he’s pushed his mealtickets around too much.

TIDWELL
Hey, man, I dig Chuck E. Cheese.

CUSH
Me too, dude.  Especially that big
old singin’ Elvis Monkey.  That’s
just insanity, man.

TIDWELL
Heard that.

Tidwell reaches over, he and Cush exchange a fingertips five.  Briefly, the two clients bond. Past Tidwell, Avery smiles engagingly at Jerry.  He handled the situation well.  She crosses her legs, stocking swishing.  The workplace excites her.