DERRICK is waiting in the Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans, Louisiana. He and his teammates have a flight to catch to Chicago for a game. He is falling asleep when his cell phone rings.
DERRICK - Wassup?
CARYN - Hey, baby.
DERRICK thinks - Baby?
DERRICK - What's goin' on?
CARYN - I miss you. Where are you?
DERRICK - New Orleans.
CARYN - Ooooh! I like New Orleans! Buy me a ticket and I'll come down and meet you.
DERRICK - I'm leaving New Orleans now. I'm at the airport; we're flying to Chicago.
CARYN - Oh. Never mind -- too cold there.
(CARYN laughs.)
DERRICK - Yeah. Listen, I'm mad sleepy. Let me hit you?
CARYN - No wait, I gotta talk to you about something?
DERRICK - Oh yeah? Wassup?
(DERRICK yawns.)
CARYN - Boo, there's a few questions I need to ask you. Okay?
DERRICK - For what?
CARYN - Just answer 'em. I'll explain after I finish askin' 'em.
DERRICK - Aight.
(CARYN clears her throat.)
CARYN - How do you feel about Lil' Derrick?
DERRICK - How do I feel about him?
CARYN - Yeah, how do you feel about him?
DERRICK - Caryn, what's this about?
CARYN - Just answer please. I'll tell you in a second.
DERRICK thinks - Lord!
DERRICK - I mean, I love lil' man. He's my pride and joy.
CARYN - And would you give up everything for him?
DERRICK - In a heartbeat.
CARYN - Okay, next question.
DERRICK - Uh, huh.
CARYN - How do you feel about me?
(silence)
DERRICK - Um...in what sense?
(silence)
CARYN - Let me just cut to the chase, Derrick.
(CARYN pauses.)
CARYN - You wanna get married?
DERRICK - Do I wanna what?
CARYN - Do you wanna get married?
DERRICK - To you?
CARYN - Of course to me, silly!
(CARYN laughs.)
DERRICK - Caryn, what's this about?
CARYN - Nothing. I think we should get married. We've been together long enough and we need to make it official.
(silence)
DERRICK - Okay you imposter, can you put the real Caryn on the phone, please?
(They both laugh.)
CARYN - This is the real me.
DERRICK - Oh yeah? Prove it!
CARYN - Okay, I know you got a mole right next to your?
DERRICK - Okay! Okay! It's you!
(CARYN smiles.)
CARYN - So, what do ya think of my...proposal?
DERRICK - I think you've been drinking. What in the world brought this on?
CARYN - Like I said, I just think that we?
DERRICK - Caryn, Caryn. Keep it real.
(silence)
CARYN - Okay look. I'm afraid of Bobby trying to get Lil' Derrick from me. And I think that if we were married, he'd never be able to take him away. We'd be a family.
DERRICK - Is that what this is about? So, you want to marry me because you're afraid of Bobby?
CARYN - Well, yeah. What's wrong with that?
DERRICK - Caryn, you marry someone because you are in love with them and you want to spend the rest of your life with them. You don't marry people just out of the blue or for other reasons like that.
CARYN - What difference does it make?
DERRICK thinks - God, why me?
DERRICK - Caryn, that's why everybody is running around getting divorces these days -- because they get married for the wrong reasons. Look, don't worry about Bobby. He doesn't have a legal leg to stand on when it comes to Lil? Derrick.
CARYN - Are you sure? I don't think you know Bobby very well. He's shady.
DERRICK - Yeah, well even shady has its limits.
CARYN - So, you're saying you don't want to marry me?
DERRICK - I'm sayin' that you really don't want to marry me.
(silence)
DERRICK - Now, don't say anything to confirm that. You'll hurt my feelings. So let me go and I'll call you from Chicago, okay?
CARYN - Okay, Derrick.
DERRICK - Will you be home tonight?
CARYN - Actually, no. Me and my girls are partying tonight.
DERRICK thinks - Dag every night?
DERRICK - Okay, well, you just call me then.
CARYN - Okay, boo. Bye.
DERRICK - Yeah. Later.
(They hang up. DERRICK stares at his phone then slowly gets up to go to the bathroom.)
DERRICK thinks - I can't believe that girl. What the hell makes her say the things she says?
(As DERRICK is walking toward the bathroom, he sees a very familiar face.)
DERRICK thinks - Hey, I know her from?
(DERRICK approaches.)
DERRICK - Excuse me, have we met before?
(CANDACE turns around.)
CANDACE - Hey! Derrick, right!
DERRICK - Yeah, um?
(DERRICK is trying to remember her name.)
CANDACE - Candace.
DERRICK - Right! You went to Ahpla!
CANDACE - Yeah, I'm still there now. I remember you playing basketball. You're playing in the NBA now right?
DERRICK - Yeah. We played New Orleans last night. That's why I'm here. Flying out to Chicago now.
CANDACE - Oh, cool. Well congratulations on making it to the big league.
(DERRICK laughs.)
DERRICK - Thanks! What brings you here?
CANDACE - Well, I'm from here and I had to come back home for?
(CANDACE pauses.)
CANDACE - ...to take care of something. I'm flying back to school now.
DERRICK - Oh, okay.
(silence)
DERRICK - Well, it was nice running into you, Candace.
CANDACE - Yeah, you too, Derrick. Good luck in playing ball.
DERRICK - Thanks.
(silence)
DERRICK - Okay, well...see ya around.
(CANDACE smiles and pushes her hair from in front of her eye.)
CANDACE - Yeah.
(DERRICK turns to leave, then quickly turns back.)
DERRICK - Candace, is it okay if I maybe called you? Like tonight after my game?
:: NEW PAGE ::
SCENE 2
As MONA attempts to call her cousin SHARONDA, her little sister MIYA answers the phone.
MIYA - Hello?
MONA - Hey, girl you are not gonna believe what I'm watching!
MIYA thinks - Oh, shoot!
(silence)
MONA - Hello? Sharonda?
(MIYA looks around for SHARONDA quickly but doesn't see her amongst the many Zetas and interested ladies at the interest meeting.)
MIYA - Yeah...hey Mona.
(MIYA disguises her voice to sound like SHARONDA.)
(silence)
MONA - Miya?
MIYA thinks - Dag!
MONA - Miya, why are you answering Ronda's phone?
(MONA gets up. She glances back at MIKE, who is arguing with AHMAD, then she walks toward the exit door.)
MONA - Where are you?
(As MONA walks out the revolving door, she doesn't notice GREGG and XAVIER walk through the door into the dorm right past her.)
MIYA - Um...um...
MONA - Where's Ronda?
MIYA - Uh...she's around here somewhere?
MONA - Around where? Where are you, girl?
MIYA - I, uh...I was trying to surprise you!
MONA - Surprise me?
MIYA - Yeah. I came up to campus and I hooked up with Ronda. We were gonna come by your place.
MONA - Oh, cool! You're silly, girl. Well, where are you right now?
MIYA - Um?
(MIYA looks around.)
MIYA - At Ronda's.
MIYA thinks - Whew! That was close!
MONA - Well, what time are y?all comin' through?
MIYA - Soon, I guess.
MONA - Okay, cool. So, I'll see you two in a few.
MIYA - Okay, Mona.
MONA - Later, sis.
MIYA - Bye.
(They hang up.)
MONA thinks - She is so sweet!
(MONA remembers MIKE about to fight with AHMAD.)
MONA thinks - Oh, shoot! I almost forgot about Mike!
(As MONA hurries to go back into the lobby, she sees a flier on the front door of the dorm.)
MONA thinks - What's this?
MONA reads - Are you progressive? Are you energetic? Do you want to advance yourself and your community? If so, come check out the progressive, energetic, finer women of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, at our interest meeting. Tonight in Taylor Hall. Learn our history; our purpose; see if you have what it takes to become an illustrious lady of our sorority. Tonight from seven to nine. Refreshments served after.
MONA thinks - Seven to nine?
(MONA looks at her watch. It's 7:55.)
MONA thinks - Wait a minute, wouldn't Sharonda be at the...
(MONA reaches into her pocket and pulls out her cell phone. She dials.)
MONA thinks - Sharonda better answer!
SHARONDA's ANSWERING MACHINE - Hey, this is Sharonda Ferguson. Leave me a mess?
(MONA hangs up. She turns and looks back at the Zeta Phi Beta flier.)
MONA reads - Tonight in Taylor Hall.
MONA thinks - Taylor Hall.
(She looks at her watch again. MONA starts to jog toward the waiting shuttle bus.)
:: NEW PAGE ::
SCENE 3
DRE opens the door to the Omega Psi Phi house and walks in.
DRE - What's up, bruh!
RONNIE - What up, dog!
DRE - Wassup, Nasim.
NASIM - Ay, Dre.
(DRE slaps hands with RONNIE's cousin NASIM who is sitting on the couch next to RONNIE.)
DRE - What's up with y?all, man?
RONNIE - Just watching the Laker game, dude. What's up with you?
DRE - Nothing, man. Got some reading to do. Can y'all keep it down? I know how you two get.
RONNIE - No problem, bruh.
NASIM - Yeah, no problem.
DRE - Thanks.
(DRE walks upstairs to study.)
NASIM - Y'all got anymore chips up in here?
RONNIE - No cuz, you ate 'em all! Dag man!
(NASIM laughs.)
NASIM - Let me go see what else y'all got up in here.
(NASIM gets up to walk into the kitchen.)
RONNIE - Hey man, don't get crazy! Food in here is for the bruhs!
NASIM - I know man. I just want a snack.
(NASIM disappears into the kitchen as the front door opens again.)
RONNIE - What's up, team?
TY - What's the deal?
RONNIE - Nothin' much. Where you coming from?
TY - Hangin' on the yard.
RONNIE - Oh, yeah? Is it jumpin out there or something?
TY - Naw, not really. Everyone on the yard is buzzin' over that Iota stuff. It's crazy!
(RONNIE starts to laugh as NASIM comes out of the kitchen.)
RONNIE - Ha ha ha ha! What are people sayin?, dude?
TY - Man, they sayin' that the Iotas are bold as hell to pull a publicity stunt like that! They said that their chapter just got started and they about to get suspended already!
RONNIE - Really?
(RONNIE cracks up laughing as NASIM sits down.)
NASIM - What's the big joke? I wanna laugh, too. Ha ha ha ha!
TY - I was just telling Ronnie what the peeps on the yard are saying about the Iotas. Ha ha ha ha!
NASIM - The who?
RONNIE - Ha ha ha ha! You know man, Iota Phi Theta. That other frat!
NASIM - Oooooooooooh!
(NASIM starts to laugh loudly.)
TY - Bruh, what in the world were they thinking? That was the stupidest thing I ever saw!
(RONNIE starts to laugh even louder.)
RONNIE - Wait, wait! Ha ha ha ha! Sean's name was in the greeting! Ha ha ha ha!
(All three laugh loud. DRE comes downstairs.)
DRE - Bruhs! Come on, man! I gotta study! What the hell!
RONNIE - Ha ha ha ha! Oh, my bad, dog! I'm sorry! Ha ha ha ha!
DRE - Why are y'all laughin' so loud, anyhow?
TY - Ha ha ha, I was just telling them that I came from the yard just now?
(TY is still laughing and trying to catch his breath. He wipes a tear away from his eye.)
DRE - Uh, huh.
TY - ...and everyone on the yard is talking about that Iota Phi Theta pledge thing that happened at the ceremony.
DRE - Really?
(DRE starts to laugh.)
RONNIE - Dude, them negroes are up to their necks in trouble!
DRE - Are you serious? Ha ha ha ha!
TY - Of course, they're in trouble! What in the world would make them disrespect the ceremony like that? What were they thinking?
NASIM - Ha ha...ha...huh?
TY - Oh, let me explain, man. A frat wouldn't disrespect like that. Makes the frat look real bad. Like, if the Iotas were thinking that their frat would get some publicity or something for their new chapter, it really backfired, because now the administration is looking at them real bad. They may even get suspended over something like this.
(The laughter in the room starts to quiet down. NASIM looks at RONNIE.)
NASIM - What's he talkin' about, man? He don't know?
(RONNIE looks at NASIM, then back to TY. RONNIE is still smiling.)
RONNIE - I guess we can let you in on it, Big Ty.
TY - Let me in on what?
(RONNIE starts to laugh.)
RONNIE - See the thing is?
(RONNIE starts to laugh again, which makes TY laugh.)
TY - Ha ha ha ha, what? What's so funny?
DRE - Ty, that Iota pledgee didn't look familiar to you?
TY - Familiar? How could he?
(DRE, RONNIE, and NASIM start to laugh again.)
NASIM - Yo Ty, check this out.
(NASIM stands up.)
NASIM - I have been pledging all day and all night!
Trying to dig deep for Iota Phi!
Getting hazed by my Big Brother Sean!
Pledging hard for Iota all day long!
(DRE, RONNIE, and NASIM start to fall over laughing.)
TY - What the...
(TY is looking in disbelief.)
TY - That was...that was you?
RONNIE - Yeah, dog! That was Nas! Ha ha ha ha!
DRE - Yeah, man! Ha ha ha, wasn't that mess hilarious? Ha ha ha ha ha!
(DRE, RONNIE, and NASIM laugh once again.)
(silence)
TY - No, it wasn't hilarious! Are y'all crazy!
No comments:
Post a Comment