Episode 18

TY tries his best to wipe the eggs off his clothes in BOBBY's bathroom. He checks his watch and notices how late he is on Big Brother ExeQUEtioner's
assignment.

TY - Dag! He is gonna kill me! I don't have time to try and change clothes! This was a stupid idea in the first place! Dag!

(TY takes one last look in the mirror and decides he can clean himself no further. He leaves BOBBY's place.)

TY thinks - What am I gonna do? Listening to that stupid girl is what got me in trouble in the first place! I should've never listened to her!

(TY takes the stairs to the basement and walks through the garage. He doesn't want anyone to see him go through the front door with eggs all over him, especially if some big brothers are around.)

TY thinks - I have to think of a good excuse to get out of this mess. What could possibly work?
RONNIE - Where the heck have you been? You have been gone for hours!
TY - Many apologies Big Brother ExeQUEtioner! What had happened was...I was on my way to complete your assignment...and I got to the location and they...uh...didn't have what you were asking for. So I had to run, literally run all the way across town to the other store to pick up what you wanted, because I know you wanted it just like how you asked for it...Big Brother. So then by the time I got back, from all the way across town, I am
just getting back now.

(silence)

RONNIE - So that's what took you so long?
TY - Yes Big Brother ExeQUEtioner!
RONNIE - Is that so? Well that's funny because I went to the store, just to see what was taking you so long. They had what I wanted, as a matter of fact they had plenty of what I wanted. I asked if anyone had been there to order for me and they said no. So I went ahead and bought it myself...because you were taking so long.
TY thinks - Oh shoot!
RONNIE - So do you want to make up another story? You need a few minutes to create a better lie?
TY - Uh...
RONNIE - Did you just lie to me? Are you lying to me Ty?!
TY - I uh...I just...

(RONNIE turns to DRE and DEXTER.)

RONNIE - Dre, this sorry excuse for a pledgee couldn't even finish a simple assignment, and then on top of that, lied about it to my face! How should I handle that? Do I have your permission Big Brother Dean to kill him?
TY thinks - Please protect me Dean! Please!
DRE - Do whatever you want with him. I don't care.
TY thinks - What? Oh no!
RONNIE - Thanks! Come on bruh, you got a long night ahead of you now! Ha ha ha ha ha!
TY - Wait...Dean please help me...don't let Big Brother ExeQUEtioner take me...he's crazy...I'll do anything Dean...please!

(DRE turns and starts to converse with DEXTER as if TY isn't even in the
room. RONNIE starts to drag TY away by his ankles.)

TY - Dean please!
RONNIE - Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! He can't hear your cries for help! You're mine now! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
TY - Nooooooooooooooo!

(TY walks into a tree and falls on his butt.)

TY - Pledging is driving me up the wall! I'm daydreaming and not watching where I am walking! Ouch!

(TY gets up and continues.)

TY thinks - Okay, maybe that isn't a good excuse. I gotta think of another way out of this.
RONNIE - What the heck took you so long on this simple assignment!
TY - I had picked up your order Big Brother ExeQUEtioner, and then I was so in a rush to get it back to you early, I dropped it! I fell right on top of all of it! That is why my clothes got all messed up! And it took me a little bit of time to get myself together and go back and buy it again!

(silence)

RONNIE - So that's what took you so long?
TY - Yes, Big Brother ExeQUEtioner!
RONNIE - Is that so? Well that's funny because we followed you the entire time you were gone! You didn't go to the store! You went to the dorm! Then you tried to rush out and get back here!
TY - Uh...uh...
RONNIE - You just lied to your big brothers! Do you know what the penalty is for lying?!
TY - Wait...what happened was...
RONNIE - Get over here!
TY thinks - Dag, that's not a good idea either! If it wasn't for stupid Trina, I wouldn't even be in this mess! I should kick her...

(TY stops walking.)

TY - Wait a minute! That's my answer! Trina! It was her assignment that made me late and made me all messy! But it was against Bobby who Big Brother ExeQUEtioner hates! So if I tell the truth, tell them that I was trying to do two assignments at once and almost got caught but mission accomplished, then I won't get in trouble! Yes!

(TY runs the rest of the way to the Omega frat house.)

TY thinks - Here I go!

(TY knocks on the door.)

DEXTER - Hey bruhs, it's Ty! Hey man, we thought you got kidnapped or
something! Ha ha ha! What the heck do you have all over your clothes? Get
inside!

(TY walks in and stands at attention in the middle of the room.)

RONNIE - What the heck took you so long? We've been sitting here for hours! And what in the world happened to you?

(All the Omegas are staring at TY. TRINA is upstairs in RONNIE's room.)

TY thinks - I wish Trina were here! She could vouch for me!
TY - Big Brother ExeQUEtioner, I was on my way to completing your assignment early. And your girlfriend Trina asked me to make a stop for her. She wanted to put eggs all over Bobby's bed.
RONNIE - What?
TY - Yes Big Brother, so I did the egg thing and got some of it on me. I'm late because Bobby came home while I was there and that is what held me up.
RONNIE - What? That is ridiculous! I should kill you for making up a crazy
story like that!
TY - But it's true, Big Brother ExeQUEtioner!
RONNIE - We'll see about that! Hey Trina! Baby, come here for a second!
TY thinks - Oh good! Trina is here!
RONNIE - You better not be lying!

(DRE approaches TY and whispers in his ear.)

DRE - Man, if you made that story up, it's gonna be tight on you. You understand that don't you?
TY - Yes Dean!

(TRINA comes downstairs.)

TRINA - What's up Ronnie?
RONNIE - Ty here says that you sent him on an assignment to Bobby's place. You told him to egg Bobby's bed, which made him the mess that he is, and made him late on his assignment to me. Is this true? Did you send Ty on an assignment?

(TRINA looks at TY who looks back at her.)

TRINA - Of course not!


:: NEW PAGE ::


SCENE 2

SEAN is at an interest meeting for Iota Phi Theta fraternity. His cell phone rang and it was his dad calling. SEAN thought he hung up, but didn't hang up completely and his dad heard the conversations of the brothers of Iota.

(SEAN reaches into his pocket to grab a pen to take phone numbers and puts
his hand on his cell phone. He pulls it out of his pocket in search of his
pen and he quickly glances at his phone.)

SEAN - Oh shoot! My phone is on! Hello?
MR. JACKSON - That's right! Your phone is on young man and you have a lot of
explaining to do!
SEAN - Dad!
MR. JACKSON - Yes! Are you at an interest meeting of some kind?

(silence)

MR. JACKSON - Answer me Sean.
SEAN thinks - God!
SEAN - Yes dad, I am.

(silence)

MR. JACKSON - Sean! I have already expressed to you how I feel about this! Did you think I wasn't serious? Is this a joke to you Sean?
SEAN - No dad but you haven't considered how I feel.
MR. JACKSON - And you obviously haven't considered how I feel either!
SEAN - How you feel?

(SEAN glances at DR. MWATSUMI, who is utilizing this time to speak to the brothers of Iota. SEAN lowers his voice.)

SEAN - What difference does it make how you feel? This is my life we are talking about...not yours dad!
MR. JACKSON - It's not your life until I finish paying for it! When you live under my roof, you live by my laws!
SEAN - I'm not under your roof anymore!
MR. JACKSON - Yes you are! As long as my money supports you, you might as well be living at home!
SEAN - That is so unfair! You dangle your money over my head and use it as a chess piece! And you use me, your son, as the pawn!
MR. JACKSON - It doesn't have to be this way Sean. I told you how I feel about Alpha Phi Alpha. You can make the right choice at any time. But I will not stand by and let you make a mistake that you will regret later. Especially Iota Phi Theta! Who in the world are they?

(SEAN isn't even an Iota but immediately feels insulted.)

SEAN - Dad, I can't talk to you right now.
MR. JACKSON - So be it Sean. But I didn't cause this, you did.

(silence)

SEAN - Bye dad.

(CLICK)

SEAN thinks - I can't believe this! Couldn't even say goodbye!

(This time SEAN makes sure he has hung up and he turns his phone off. SAIFA approaches.)

SAIFA - Hey Sean, how's it going man? You look really stressed.
SEAN - I really, really am.
SAIFA - It's only an interest meeting man. No need to look all crazy and scared. Ha ha ha ha.
SEAN - No it isn't that. That was my father on the phone.
SAIFA - Oh really? He still trippin'?
SEAN - Yeah, harder than ever. I really didn't take him for serious before. But he has expressed to me that he is very, very serious. He is going to disown me and I will have to leave Ahpla.
SAIFA - Wow, that is nuts. What do you want to do about it?

(SEAN looks as if he is about to cry.)

SEAN - There's honestly not much I can do. I mean, I am being honest when I say that I want to become a member of Iota Phi Theta. Just the idea of bringing a new brotherhood onto this campus and me having something to do with that is awesome. But what difference would it make if I can't stay at the university? Or worse yet, what happens if I have to leave before I become a member?
SAIFA - Well, what about Dr. Mwatsumi? Didn't he offer to help you financially?
SEAN - Yeah, he offered me a job and some scholarship opportunities. But it wasn't enough to carry me until graduation and I can't ask him to pay for me. That wouldn't be right. I'm not his son; I'm not even related to him. So why should he help me like that?
SAIFA - I wouldn't count him out. Doc is a really resourceful guy.
SEAN - I don't know, man. Seems like a hopeless case.
SAIFA - Let's see. Doc, could I have a word with you please?

(DR. MWATSUMI excuses himself from the brother that he is speaking with and
approaches SAIFA and SEAN.)

DR. MWATSUMI - Hello, fellows. This is a wonderful event, Saifa.
SAIFA - Glad you like it, sir. Listen, Sean is kinda upset right now because he just received a telephone call from his father and his father is determined as ever to force Sean to make a decision that he doesn't want to make.
DR. MWATSUMI - Is that so?

(SEAN looks down, ashamed of his own father.)

SEAN - Yes, sir.
SAIFA - His dad is actually going to pull him out by cutting off his money.
No joke.
DR. MWATSUMI - Was that who you were just on the cellular phone with Sean?
SEAN - Yes, sir.

(silence)

DR. MWATSUMI - Sean, hand me your cellular phone.
SEAN - Huh? Wait, you're not going to call my dad are you?
DR. MWATSUMI - That's exactly what I'm going to do.
SEAN - Wait sir, that might not be a good idea.
SAIFA - Trust the old man, Sean.

(DR. MWATSUMI sticks his hand out for SEAN to hand him the phone.

SEAN thinks - God help me! This is getting worse and worse!
DR. MWATSUMI - Give me your phone.

(SEAN slowly reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell phone. He hands
it to DR. MWATSUMI.)

SEAN - Sir, I still don't know if...
DR. MWATSUMI - Saifa, make sure none of your fraternity brothers leave. There's still a few I would like a chance to speak with.
SAIFA - Certainly, sir.
DR. MWATSUMI - And I'll be right back. This should only take a few minutes.

(DR. MWATSUMI walks into the hallway as his is pushing SEND on the phone.)


:: NEW PAGE ::


SCENE 3

CANDACE is in her room. She has just picked up CHRISTIAN's video tape of ALEX JEFFERSON's confession and taken it into her bedroom.

CANDACE thinks - Let's see what this video is about. Probably some old silliness, knowing Christian.

(CANDACE turns her TV on.)

CANDACE thinks - I wonder what's on TV tonight.

(CANDACE puts the video into the VCR but starts changing channels to see what
is on TV.)

CANDACE thinks - Nothing on TV. They need more shows with Black people anyway.

(CANDACE pushes play on the VCR. The telephone rings. She presses stop on the
VCR.)

CANDACE - Hello?
PAULA - Hey.
CANDACE - Hey what's up?
PAULA - Nothing. Just checkin' on you.
CANDACE - I ain't doing nothing.
PAULA - I know you're not, that's why I'm checkin' on ya.

(CANDACE laughs.)

CANDACE - Huh? What you talkin' about?
PAULA - We're kinda worried about you.
CANDACE - Worried about me? Why? Who is worried about me?
PAULA - Sorors are.
CANDACE - Why in the world are y'all worried about me?
PAULA - Because Candace...girl you don't have a social life whatsoever. You get up, you go to class, you come home. You never leave your place, you never go anywhere, you never do anything.
CANDACE - Yes I do, that's not true.
PAULA - Sure it is.
CANDACE - No it's not.
PAULA - Okay, name one place you have been to in the last two semesters.

(silence)

PAULA - My point exactly.
CANDACE - But that doesn't mean that there is something wrong with me, I am just not the hanging out type.
PAULA - Liar.

(They laugh together.)

CANDACE - No really, I don't like going to clubs and stuff. The last time I did, I ran into that Jerrel character at Pharoahs. That's why I never hang with y'all.
PAULA - Candace, you do like to hang out. You did all the time before Nino was taken from you.

(silence)

PAULA - Candace, that is why we're concerned. Ever since Nino died, you really haven't been your normal self.
CANDACE - How can I be Paula? Nino was my life.
PAULA - I know. Nino was a great, great guy. But he is gone now and you have to move on. He left us a long time ago.
CANDACE - It wasn't that long ago.
PAULA - Yes it was Candace. Candace, you have to face it. Nino is in a better place now. He is resting now.

(CANDACE starts to cry.)

PAULA - He left and went back to God a long time ago. But you are still here and you have to live your life. Nino would want you to. Wouldn't he?
CANDACE - Yes.
PAULA - It's okay for you to date guys. There are plenty of guys who would be lucky to be with you.
CANDACE - Oh God Paula, I don't know.
PAULA - You don't know? Are you crazy girl? You are the bomb. You are smart, you're the nicest person in the world and you are a sexy lady of Sigma Gamma Rho! That speaks volumes in itself. Ha ha ha ha.

(They both laugh.)

CANDACE - This is like foreign territory to me. I ain't never gone out with anybody since I've been here...obviously.
PAULA - What are your plans for the rest of the day?
CANDACE - Nothing much, just a little reading.
PAULA - Aight. We're about to go out and get some action started for you!
CANDACE - Oh God.
PAULA - Come on, I will meet you out front in 10 minutes.
CANDACE - Ten minutes? I won't even have time to...
PAULA - Ten minutes. Bye!
CANDACE - Paula...Paula!

(PAULA has hung up.)

CANDACE - Dang!

(CANDACE turns her TV and VCR off.)

CANDACE thinks - I wonder how long they were worried about me? How long have
they been talking about me? Am I that bad? Or that obvious?

(CANDACE runs into the bathroom and fixes her hair. She opens her makeup case but closes it.)

CANDACE thinks - Naw, no makeup.

(She goes into her closet and grabs her sorority sweater.)

CANDACE thinks - My heart is beating like crazy. Good grief, maybe Paula is right. I'm nervous about hanging out on the yard.

(CANDACE walks past her desk to leave. There is a picture of her and NINO on her desk. She stops and picks it up. She just looks at it and places it back down. She leaves her room.)

CANDACE thinks - Oh there's Paula. That girl ain't never on time any other day but she is on time today! Ha ha ha ha.

(CANDACE hugs PAULA.)

CANDACE - I see you're here on time.
PAULA - Heck yeah. Let's go meet some cuties.
CANDACE - You are ridiculous.

(They laugh together as they walk to campus and sit on a bench on the yard.)

PAULA - Okay, we are gonna chill here and man watch. If we see any cutie patooties then you speak to 'em.
CANDACE - Cutie patooties?

(They laugh together.)

PAULA - Okay here comes a cute guy now. As a matter of fact...

(They both look.)

PAULA - ...as a matter of fact, he is fine! We're gonna speak to him!
CANDACE - Oh heck no we're not! That's that fool Jerrel that I got into that fight with at Pharoahs!