Saturday, May 13, 2017

Cafe-Girl: The Tru Story



Act One, Scene Three

Interior: Bar

(A few minutes later)

TRU

What's your poison?

WILLOW

Excuse me?

TRU

Sorry, isn't that what people always say, like in the movies, what's your poison? All dramatic like.

WILLOW

I guess so.

TRU

Sorry, I'm kind of a dork.

WILLOW

It's okay.  Me too.

TRU

Nice.  So, what are you drinking?  Rum and coke?

WILLOW

Hold the rum.

TRU

What? Wait, are you...you're not in recovery or something--

WILLOW

No, no, nothing like that. Just didn't feel like drinking tonight---

TRU

Well, get over it.  I could use a drinking buddy tonight.

WILLOW

Um?

TRU

Brandon, add some rum to this guy's coke.  Stat.

WILLOW

Stat?

TRU

Pronto, ASAP, Now! Stat!

WILLOW

Okay...

TRU

Sorry, I'm in a...weird mood.

WILLOW

Its fine.

TRU

Thank you.

WILLOW

For what?

TRU

That.  Just...accepting me, is all.

WILLOW

Any time.

(Brandon approaches, with bottle of beer and a glass of rum and coke. He sets the beer in front of Tru and the rum and coke in front of Willow.)

TRU

Thanks, Brandon.

BRANDON

Just be cool, okay, Tru.

TRU

Yeah, whatever.

(She picks up the bottle and stands up.)

Let's vacate this spot, find somewhere quieter.

WILLOW

Where?

TRU

Over there?

(She points to a corner table, apart from other people.)

Cut to: Tru and Willow alone at a table talking, laughing

TRU

So, you grew up here?

WILLOW

Yeah, yeah, I did.  Born and raised.

TRU

Wow, a townie!

WILLOW

Yeah, is that a bad thing or...?

TRU

No, its fine.  I knew some townies once...

WILLOW

Yeah?

TRU

Yeah.

WILLOW

So, you from around here or--

TRU

No, no.  I came here for college and then sort of got hooked, and stayed.

WILLOW

What did you study in college?

TRU

Study? Ha.  Oh, you mean like what was my major? Communication.

(Willow looks confused.)

Yeah, that's what everyone thinks about that major.  What the hell is it? What do you do with it? Communication...its like what would happen if psychology and sociology had a love-child.

WILLOW

Um, all right, so what do you do?

TRU

Like, for money? I work in a shop, downtown, that's right, I'm a shopgirl, me, can you see that?

WILLOW

Not really, no. I mean, it depends on the shop.

TRU

Its one of those fancy high-priced boutiques down-town that no one can really afford but maybe a few ritzy tourists now and then.  But, not really anyone.  Why its still around is anyone's guess, the weird thing is, how the hell did I get the job? But, hey, it pays the bills...for now.

WILLOW

For now?

TRU

Well, I still have dreams, I mean, I'm kind of old but---

WILLOW

You old?

TRU

Aw, gee thanks.

WILLOW

No, I'm serious. You don't look that old.

TRU

(speaking in a Southern accent)

Well, aren't you such a sweet boy? Play your cards just right you may get lucky!

WILLOW

Um, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...I mean, I would if I could, but I'm--

TRU

Sort of seeing someone? Yeah, me too. Oh no, that's right, we broke up.

WILLOW

Really?

TRU

Yeah.

WILLOW

Recently or...

(Tru looks at her wrist which is bare.)

TRU

Oh, just about an hour ago, caught him in bed with another woman.

WILLOW

Just an hour ago?

TRU

Yep.

WILLOW

No wonder you wanted, needed to drink.

TRU

Yep.

WILLOW

Shit, I'm sorry.  If it makes you feel better, things aren't so rosy with me and my girlfriend.  I mean, we were living together and then she got really weird, wanted space, and I had to move in with the parents until...I don't know.

TRU

Lame.

WILLOW

Yeah.  And, now I don't know what we are.  She calls me sometimes and needs me, you know, really needs me.  We talk and make plans like things are going to happen again, and then she just totally shuts me out completely.  Nothing.  Silence.  Emptiness.

TRU

Fuck that.

WILLOW

Yeah, I wish.

TRU

Yeah, me too.

(They sip their drinks in silence.)

WILLOW

Hey, I just realized something...you're not wearing a watch!

(He looks over at her and she smiles up at him.  They both start laughing.)

Fade out.



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