Friday, December 9, 2016

Nate & Laura & How They Met


Act One, Scene three

Exterior: The Lawn between Swanson main house and granny unit, early morning.  Nate exits the unit and crosses over to main house.

Interior: Kitchenette of Swanson home, Saturday morning.  Stephen in high chair, eating cheerios on tray.  Adam at table, eating a bowl of cereal.  Eddie reads paper and drinks coffee.  Lucy at counter, pouring herself a cup of coffee, smiles at Nate when he enters.

LUCY

Good morning!! Just the guy I wanted to talk to...would you like some coffee?

NATE

I would love some.

(Lucy grabs a mug from the cupboard, pours some coffee in it.)

LUCY

Cream? Sugar?

NATE

Just black.

EDDIE

Like a man!

LUCY

Eddie!

(Nate laughs and takes coffee from Lucy.)

NATE

So, I wanted to ask your advice on the best mechanic in town, I'll need to get that thing fixed pretty fast...sorry that it doesn't seem so reliable!

LUCY

Hey, these things happen!

NATE

Yeah, talked to my dad this morning, he said, he could float me some money to cover it.

LUCY

Good, good.  You know, my friend, Sara's boyfriend works at a shop downtown.  You can check them out.  Ask for Brian and say you know me.

NATE

Great.

LUCY

Yeah, the shop is Ashland Auto Repair, I think.

NATE

Sounds good.

LUCY

Now, can we talk scheduling for these guys?

NATE

Of course.

LUCY

Now, you know, weekends are free for you, unless something comes up.  On weekdays, I have to leave by 7:45 to get to work, so I'd like you to start at 7:30 in the morning, for breakfast routine and getting ready for school.  At 8:15, walk Adam to school, we have the stroller for Stephen.  Then, back here with Stephen, who should try and nap around 10, then pick up Adam at 12:30, naps at 1:00 pm.  Then, playtime until dinner at 5, when I get home, and you are off for the evening.  Got it?

NATE

Whew! I think so.

LUCY

It really isn't that hard, but its a lot to take in.  There is a detailed schedule on the refrigerator.  I also left a binder with detailed instructions about naps, diaper and potty training, important phone numbers in your apartment.

(Eddie rolls his eyes.)

NATE

Wow! Thank you!  I'll study it thoroughly.

(Doorbell rings.)

LUCY

Oh, that will be Kiyah.

(She exits to front entrance way.  Nate sips coffee and leans against counter, looking from Stephen to Adam to Eddie, waiting. Kiyah and Lucy enter, talking. Kiyah, a heavy-set Asian woman in her late twenties, stops and stares at Nate.)

KIYAH

Hi there, I'm Kiyah.

LUCY

Nate, this is my best friend.  We also work together at the shop downtown.

(Kiyah moves towards Nate slowly, he backs away into corner of kitchen.)

NATE

Hi.

LUCY

Kiyah and I were about to head downtown for our pilates class, maybe you can come with and we can drop you at the mechanics?

NATE

Sounds great.  Would love to see the town too.

Fade out.

Interior: Kiyah's sedan, Kiyah driving, Lucy in passenger seat, Nate in the backseat.  Katy Perry plays on the radio.

KIYAH

So, guess who called me last night?

LUCY

He didn't?

KIYAH

Yeah, what part of "we broke up" don't you understand?

LUCY

I know, right?  But seriously, are you okay?

KIYAH

I will be.  I just got focus on doing what's right by me.

LUCY

Yeah, good.  So, what's that then?

KIYAH

Getting healthy, moving forward, thinking of going back to school--

LUCY

Good.  What would you study?

KIYAH

I don't know.  I think I will just get my gen ed and then go from there.  I don't know yet what I want to be when I grow up.

LUCY

I heard that. Hey, you hear from Laura recently?

(Nate turns from looking out the window to listening to their conversation.)

KIYAH

No, actually, I have not.  Why?

LUCY

Yeah, me neither.  She hasn't called or anything since she got together with that big creepy loser...what's his name?

NATE

Scott?

LUCY

Excuse me--

KIYAH

Yeah, I think that's right...

Lucy

How did you--

NATE

Um, a girl named Laura helped me move my car when it stalled yesterday and her boyfriend was there too.

LUCY

I see.  How did she look?

NATE

I...it was only for a few minutes, she seemed nice enough.

KIYAH

Bastard Scott never lets her do anything without his approval, low-life scum.

LUCY

But, tell us how you really feel?

NATE

Sorry to hear that, about Laura.

LUCY

Yeah, thanks, Nate.  Hey, there's the auto shop.  Kiyah, can you drop Nate off here?

KIYAH

Sure thing.

(Kiyah pulls into auto shop parking lot.)

LUCY

See you at home later, Nate.

NATE

Yeah, thanks!

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