Scene 4

[The camera follows Simon walking through a concourse of people in a typical mall-type setting, 45 seconds to a minute of doing so. Someone hails Simon from across the mall, calling him out loudly. Simon is visibly snapped out of his self-imposed walking reverie and crosses through a crowd of people to greet the voice who called him. He approaches a well-dressed, yet goth-styled pixie of a girl.]

Tessa: SIMON! [Gives Simon a big hug that he returns with a kiss on the top of the head]

Simon: How are you tonight Tessa?

Tessa: I’m OK. Just OK.

Simon: You’re usually just OK. Why can’t I ever see you doing great?

Tessa: I’m not really sure. Maybe my life is just OK. It’s never been great. Why is that?

Simon: I’m not sure about that either. OK then. Enough of that. I’d rather not get down right now. I can bring myself down easily enough on my own. What have you been up to Tess?

Tessa: Work… [She stops in mid-sentence as Tessa and Simon see a middle-aged woman, 40-45, walking down the mall. She is clad in cowboy boots; a beige, fringed cowboy-style, miniskirt; denim halter-top; and cowboy hat. Tessa and Simon both openly gape as this brazen display of trendy apparel gone horribly wrong and horribly old. They both stare as she walks down the mall, thinking everything is OK.]

Tessa: Uhhh… Please, please, please Simon do not let me ever walk out in public looking like that when I’m her age.

Simon: Yes ma’am. I’m not sure I’d ever let you look like that now much less you in 20 years. Fair enough?

Tessa: Thanks. Where were we? Oh yeah. Work & School. What else is there in my life?

Simon: You tell me. Why do you NOT find more to do that just work and school?

Tessa: [getting slightly perturbed] I don’t know Simon. What’s up with the 20 Questions about my life? I haven’t seen you in 2 or 3 months and you’re grilling me about the status of my life.

Simon: Sorry my dear. It just comes out when I’m around you. You are a wonderful girl who’s always too down on herself. I don’t like seeing you like that. You’re always so much prettier when you’re happy.

Tessa: [expression softening a bit] Thanks Simon. You always say the nicest thing. Why are you so single anyway?

Simon: That, my dear, is the eternal question in my life these days. I don’t even know how to begin answering that question. Maybe…

[Tessa’s cell phone begins ringing, playing “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and she looks at her phone]

Tessa: Oh! It’s my boyfriend Jesse!

Simon: You’re still with him?

Tessa: Yeah. I know. I should have left him so long ago, but I can’t leave him.

Simon: But he treats you like shit!

Tessa: No, he doesn’t!

Simon: Tessa. You’ve never been happy with him.

Tessa: Yeah, I know. You’re right, as usual. [Phone stops ringing and standard missed phone call beep sounds from her phone.]

Tessa: ACK! I’ve gotta call him now. I hope he won’t be mad. I’ll talk to you later Simon. [She gives him a hug and waves as she walks away.]

Simon: Bye Tessa… [Weakly waves, but knows that she doesn’t see the wave as she starts talking on the phone 15 feet away and moving.]

Simon: [Talking to himself] I guess it’s time to get going again… [Simon walks to his right, towards the doors of the mall, as “The Ocean” by Mae plays, rising in volume the closer Simon gets to the doors and exits.]

Scene 3, Part 3

At last....

After a 2-month hiatus that was NEVER supposed to happen, I have finally completed Scene 3, Part 3. Thanks to you all for your patience. I left my old job to begin a great new one, but with that new job has come a fairly large learning curve. I'm all for moving up and progressing, but it's been a whirlwind month of teacher training, observation, orientation, and the like. Day 2 of the 2005-2006 school year concluded today and, due to the fact that I had a wonderful day today, I felt compelled and stimulated to get back to my creating/writing. I hope that you like what you read here. It's a rather long piece, but fairly crucial to the development of the mood and temperment of the film. As usual, please feel free to comment. Peace.



Scene 3, Part 3

[The camera moves slowly about the room, not really focusing upon anything, but making sure that nothing is really blurred. The camera should appear to be someone’s eyes, a pair of eyes that are trying to take in all of the surroundings in an effort to try and stay detached, yet involved. Snatches of conversation drift in and out of range of the camera’s view/range as you hear someone begin to sing “Happy Birthday” rather distinctly. The ambient noises quiet and the crowd moves in one direction to where the singing is coming from and the camera follows.]

Jackie: Happy Birthday dear Tina, happy birthday to you!

Tina: Thanks everyone. Thanks a lot. [She blows out the candles on the cake, candles arranged with a grouping at the top in a rather random fashion.] Hey Audra! What kind of cake is this?

Audra: That’s a really good question. I don’t know what kind it is since I didn’t make your cake. Bethany made it for you. She would be here to celebrate except that she’s asleep right now. She was up late studying for Finals last night, so she needed to get to bed early. Besides, I didn’t really think that you would want to eat burned cake batter on your birthday. Enough about me. Why don’t you just start cutting out pieces and we can all figure out what we’re eating tonight.

[Camera enters the room and you see an arm reach out to give Tina the knife to cut. The camera then takes a seat by Tina. As she slices the cake, she takes pieces and puts them on small plates. The arm returns and starts handing out the cake to people in the room.]

Jackie: Hey Tina. What did you wish for when you blew the candles out? Anything special you want to share with us? Hmmmm….

Tina: Oh, nothing really. At least, I might tell you later. I have this silly habit of wishing for the moon sometimes. Is that so wrong?

Jackie: Not really. Just as long as you didn’t wish for a boyfriend again.

[Tina noticeably blushes]

Jackie: Not again. What did you and I talk about this past Sunday morning? Didn’t we promise each other that we’re not going to worry about our lack of boy problems? Isn’t it good these days to NOT have that kind of drama in our lives?

Tina: Jackie!! Be quiet!

Jackie: Oh yeah. Sorry everybody….

[Tina blushes even more than before and the crowd disperses as the cake is being handed out. Eventually, only Audra, Tina, Jackie, Leo, and the camera are left at the table. The camera will remain in its place viewing the conversation, only allowing for slight panning back and forth, recreating the impression of being an active, yet silent participant in the conversation. The viewing is human-active, not camera-passive.]

Jackie: Wow. The room emptied out quickly. What’s that all about? Anyway, what’s up with those candles?

Tina: What are you talking about?

Jackie: Those candles look like they’re actually something, like they’re supposed to represent something.

Leo: What are you talking about Jackie? I don’t see anything there except for a half-pan of cake that I’m going to eat when the rest of you people are through with your tiny slices.

Jackie: Thanks for that input Leo. Always about you. Always about the food.

Leo: Yeah? So what? At least the food won’t go to waste with me eating it!

Jackie: True, but you’ll go to waste eating all of that food all of the time. Sometimes I think that you’re going to meet your future wife by asking her if she’s going to eat the leftovers on her plate.

Leo: Hey! I don’t ask random strangers for their food!

Audra: Uh, Leo? What about last weekend at Southern’s? You literally threw yourself at the food that girl left on her plate.

Leo: Hey! She hadn’t even touched her fries or her chicken sandwich. You saw me – I cut off the part where she had taken a bite or two and ate the rest. What’s so wrong with not wasting like that?

[The inhabitants of the table look at him, jaws agape, hoping that he’ll come to realize the idiocy of his comments. He doesn’t.]

Leo: What are you people looking at? I’m not the gross slob you make me out to be.

Jackie: You’re right Leo. We do love you, but your eating habits and sanitary practices leave much to be desired. Do you really have questions as to why you’re still single?

Leo: Not any more. I know that the right girl is out there and will love me for who I am.

Tina [under her breath, but not quite]: Like there’s really a girl out there who will put up with your lack of regular bathing…

Leo: I HEARD THAT!!
Audra: Anyway, let’s leave all that alone. Rest assured Leo – we all do love you, but maybe we just think that you could do well with a nice look into your dating status and why you remain so single.

Jackie: Ooo! Ooo! I’d love to volunteer for THAT assignment!

Audra: Uh, Jackie. I wasn’t asking for volunteers. You were much too quick there. Leo knows that he is a wonderful guy – he just might need to re-examine a few things in his life. Isn’t that right, Leo?

Leo: NO! What are you talking about? I’m perfectly content in who I am and whomever I’m going to find is going to be happy with me.

Jackie: Well, then I’m sure she will just be ecstatic about you eating off stranger’s plates in public. I know that I want MY future husband to be such a health-conscious and socially aware guy.

Leo: What is this? Make fun of Leo night? How did I get the privilege of having my life dissected by my friends?

Tina: Uh, Leo, it’s like, fairly easy to do. Don’t you tease me constantly about me having to having my hair, clothes, and make-up perfect before I go anywhere, even to go running?

Leo: Yeah. And your point is? I’m the funny guy of the group – I make the jokes and get people to laugh. I’m the guy who does NOT get made fun of. It’s a nice, easy arrangement.

Jackie: Awwww… Leo… Do you need a hug? Because if you do, I’m sure that the girl whose food you ate after she left would LOVE to give you one.

[The whole table erupts in laughter, with Leo’s face loosening up as he laughs probably the loudest.]

Jackie: Here’s what you may NOT have known Leo – that girl thought you were really cute.

Leo: How do you know that? Do you women have some sort of sixth sense about those things?

Jackie: Yes, Leo. We do. We really do. First, I saw her look at you several times while you weren’t looking. Men and boys typically miss those kinds of subtle looks, mostly because you have NO CLUE how to look at women without being caught. You’re kinda lame like that. And second, she asked me about you in the bathroom.

Leo: What? When did she do that? I’m so confused…
Jackie: It’s OK, Leo. Anyway, about 2 minutes after s he and her friends left their table, I went to the bathroom and she followed me in. At first, I was a bit creeped out by that, but she just wanted to ask me a few questions about you. She seemed rather interested.

Leo: I can’t win with women. Why didn’t she just ask me those questions? Why can’t women approach men when they’re interested?

Jackie: Well, Leo. You’ve just stumbled upon one of the humanity’s most age-old mysteries. You see, most men SAY that they want women to be assertive, but women who come on too strong usually intimidate them. A) Women who come on too strongly as seen as strong-willed, bitchy, and/or slutty (and men don’t really want to date a woman like that for anything long-terms) or B) Men fell emasculated by women who say what they want, do what they want, and don’t care what men think about them.

Leo: Hey! That’s not true. Oh wait, it is…

Audra: See, Leo. You wouldn’t have wanted her to approach you and say, “Hey. You’re cute. What’s your number? I’d like to call you sometime.” Would you have?

Leo: Uh, no. Not really. But is it a contradiction to say that I would still have liked to know she was interested in me?

Audra: No. It’s not a contradiction, per se. Just all part of the paradox that is the male-female dynamic. We’re not asking you to understand this tonight. It’s impossible for you.

Jackie: All that we’re really wanting you to learn tonight, Leo is this: You’re a bit too old to be grabbing food off people’s plates. You did that when you were 16 and girls thought you were cute and rebellious. When you do that at 26, girls see you as an immature 16-year-old who refuses to grow up.

Leo: Dang it….

Tina: Hey! Where did everyone go? It’s just us now!

Audra: They’ve obviously left us, but it's not like this has never happened before at these dinners. What time is it anyway?

Tina: It’s a bit after midnight! I’ve gotta get going. I was late this morning for work and I don’t want to be late again. Work calls early – 930AM for me.

Leo: Early? That’s early? I have to be at work at 8AM!

Jackie: There you go again Leo. Aren’t you a bit too old to be competing with your friends about how early you start your job in the morning?

Leo: Dang it… Hey, you were right! Those candles DO look like something – like it’s a cat’s head or something.

Tina: ACK! Bethany told me that she was going to give me a pet for my birthday. We ate my kitty cat!

Jackie: It’s Ok Tina. You’re still my Kitty, even if we did eat your cat for dessert tonight.

[Long pause]

Jackie: Is it just me or are we all weirded out now that we just ate a metaphorical cat for dessert tonight?

[Everyone nods their heads in assent]

Leo: I think I’m going home ladies and gentleman. It has been a wonderful evening, once again. Thanks for the advice, even if you teased me about the whole thing anyway.

Jackie: Anytime Leo. If you ever need to be mocked and ridiculed for all of your quirky behavior, just let me know. I’m more than happy to oblige you on that.

Leo: Thanks Jackie.

[Everyone takes turns hugging each other amidst a mish-mash of “I love you”, “See you later” and similar comments that friends typically make to each other. The camera follows Leo & Tina out of the front door, down the sidewalk, and down the driveway. Upon arriving at the street, Leo turns left, Tina walks forward to a dark Toyota Camry, and the camera turns to the right, approaching a Toyota Prius.]

Tina: Good night Leo.

Leo: Good night Tina and good night to you Simon.

Tina: Yeah, good night honey.

Simon [from the camera’s perspective]: Good night you two. See you on Sunday Tina.

[The camera gets in the car, pushes the ignition button, and the car starts up with the stereo playing “First of the Gang” by Morrissey]