Screenplay

Scene One

Characters: Todd and Stacy [Brother and Sister]

[Dusk in a car with Todd driving and Stacy in the passengers seat.]

Stacy: They served these disgusting lunch-ables type things on the plane, with crackers and like… flubby cheese.

Todd: I’m saying I like the cheese! (Subject to change)

Stacy: What’s that from?

Todd: I don’t know…

            Stacy: It’s so strange.

            Todd: Being back?

            Stacy: Yeah, I never expect how nostalgic it is coming back.

            Todd: How longs it been since you were last here?

            Stacy: It was back when Mom and Dad were moving out.

            Todd: So like 2 years-ish.

            Stacy: Yeah but that was a pretty quick visit. I haven’t really hung out here since high school.

            Todd: Well now you’re gonna hang out here a lot.

            Stacy: Yeah…

            [uncomfortable silence]

            Todd: So what are you gonna be doing? [he blurts out suddenly]

            Stacy: I’m not entirely sure yet, but I’ve already put in some job applications so I can get my shit back together and get out of your hair as soon as possible. [this sounds rehearsed]

Todd: Don’t worry about it, it’s not a big inconvenience or anything or whatever.

[Another awkward pause. Stacy squints out the window into the darkening night]

Stacy: Is that the old high school?

Todd: Oh shit

            Stacy: Are you driving to the old house?

            Todd: Nope, damn it, give me a second. [Todd pulls into a driveway to turn around]

            Stacy: We could drive by the house while we’re in the neighborhood.

            Todd: How ‘bout not. Besides, it’s too late to go creeping on people.

            Stacy: I’m tired from the flight anyway. But what’s your problem with the old house? [she teases]

            Todd: I didn’t say I had one.

            Stacy: First you accidently drive us to the old house and now you’re avoiding it.

            Todd: I’m not avoiding anything. [poorly trying to change the subject] Any-who… remember that sign? [or any other random thing]

            Stacy: Oh yeah I always loved that sign [sarcastically]

[Cut to Stacy laying in a makeshift bed on the couch. Just before falling asleep, Stacy realizes she is watching the film French Kiss, Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline sit in a dinner car on a train passing through green fields that remind her of home]

Meg: I’m saying I like the cheese.

 

 

Scene Two:

[Todd wakes up in his bed and hears Stacy in the kitchen washing dishes. She’s talking to someone.]

            Stacy: I don’t know, I think he might still be sleeping.

            [Dragging himself out of bed Todd shuffles to the kitchen]

            Stacy: [She’s on the phone] I just didn’t have the stomach to edit anymore of those click baiting articles, that’s all they care about is views, so I quit… Yeah I feel really good about my prospects with these applications I’m working on, there’s this publishing company- [see’s Todd] Hey I left you some breakfast. [back into the phone] Yeah he’s up.

            [Todd Start grabs a piece of bacon.]

Stacy: Yeah just one second. [she holds the phone out to Todd] Mom wants to talk to you.

            Todd: I just woke up! [he irritably whispers and takes phone] Hey mom! [A bit too peppy] I don’t work today… Yeah well with work and the book I’ve been really busy… It’s going really well, you know, slow but steady… Hey where are you guys at right now?… Spain?… Hey dad… Sick of the boat yet? [Todd laughs a bit too generously.] Alright well I’ll talk to you guys later… ok… love ya… bye.

            [Todd hangs up with a sigh]

Stacy: You make it seem so arduous.

Todd: It’s too early.

Stacy: So what are you doing today?

Todd: Not much [he sits next to the folded blankets on the sofa, goes to turn on the TV]

Stacy: Can you help me move a mattress? Mom said that there is an extra one from the move that we can pick up in storage.

Todd: Sure.

Stacy: So I’d brought some extra dishes, where do the mugs go?

Todd: Above the sink I guess.

Stacy: Well I think they’d go better over with the other cups

Todd: Your call, it’s your place too now.

Stacy: Okay I’m going to get dressed and then we can go to the storage unit.

Todd: alright just a second

[Cut to darkness, a storage door lifts and light is cast on common familial junk in boxes and bundles. There is the mattress and an assortment of odd relics like neglected toys and other sentimental objects]

Scene 3

[Stacy and Todd are carrying a mattress up the stairs to their apartment. They set it down for a second as Stacy checks her pockets]

Stacy: Damn, I forgot my keys. Can you get the door?

Todd: What?

Stacy: The doors locked

Todd: Why would it be locked?

Stacy: Because I locked it.

Todd: I don’t usually lock the door.

Stacy: Well that’s idiotic.

Todd: You were the one who locked the door and forgot your keys.

Stacy: So you don’t have your keys?

Todd: I’ll go get the landlord.

[Todd rushes down the stairs and runs off. To kill time Stacy pops open a box full of odds and ends and rummages through them. Then she gets a call]

Stacy: Hello?… This is she… Okay… Thank you. [She hangs up with a grimace]

[Todd comes running back up the stairs.]

Todd: They’re on their way.

Stacy: [he holds up a raggedy old bear from the box like a puppet and says in a goblin voice] Hello!

Todd: Come on when did you grab that?

Stacy: Don’t you remember Mr. oatmeal?

Todd: Yeah he just gets more unsettling with time.

Stacy: Be careful, he’ll hear you. You use to love this thing.

Todd: Whatever.

Stacy: I think I’ll put him in the living room. [teasing]

Todd: Can’t wait.

Stacy: What I can’t wait for is to watch these! [she holds up home movie video tapes]

Todd: Do it sometime while I’m at work.

 

Scene 4:

[Todd sits in the living room looking at a blinking cursor on a blank word document]

Stacy: [from the kitchen] I’m making French toast for dinner.

Todd: Sweet, I’ll do the dishes.

Stacy: Hey have you talked to mom and dad recently

Todd: No why?

Stacy: No reason, they’re just missing you.

Todd: How was your day?

Stacy: Really good! Went and did that job interview and it went really well.

Todd: Awesome.

Stacy: How about you?

Todd: Oh you know, the usual glories of Pet-Co. A lady thought some box of bones were complimentary.

Stacy: Why do you work there if you hate it so much?

Todd: We can’t all quit our jobs, someone has to pay for the apartment.

[Stacy comes in with the food]

Todd: Sorry that was douchie. [He shuts his laptop] I just don’t have any other options.

Stacy: You could always go back to school.

Todd: How? [He grows suspicious]

Stacy: Well you know mom and dad would probably help you out.

Todd: What did you tell them?