***
Scene: Kringle Street
Carol is sitting at one of the public benches outside the
“Nieve's Jewelry Store”
Eight pretty young promo girls carrying boxes of milk
chocolate are walking on up and down the street to offer samples and sell the
chocolate.
Promo girl: Ma'am, would you care to have a sample? This is the finest Belgian milk chocolate.
Promo girl: Ma'am, would you care to have a sample? This is the finest Belgian milk chocolate.
Carol: (looking at the chocolate, she gulps) No, thank you.
***
Scene: Inside the jewelry store.
Chris is walking around the store, looking at the different
rings on display.
The three salesladies are watching him closely but they
pretend to ignore him. He looks out of place in this fancy-schmancy store.
Chris: Can I see this ring, please? (pointing to a ring on
display)
Silence. The three salesladies, Faith, Hope and Charity are
ignoring him.
Chris: Excuse me, can I see this ring please?
Faith: (big sigh) “Sir”, you mean this three carat, pear cut,
diamond ring with two trapezoid cut diamonds, in a 18 karat gold setting?
Chris: Yes, that's what I wanted to see.
Faith: Not to be rude, but I don't think that's the ring for
you.
Chris: Of course, it's not for me. It's for my girlfriend. I'm
going to propose to her.
Faith: Well, I do admire your taste. You picked one of the
most expensive rings in this store.
Chris: How much is it?
Hope: (who is in another part of the store says loud enough
for them to hear) Well, if you have to ask, maybe you can't afford it. Ha ha ha.
Chris: (starting to get mad) What the hell do you know about
me? How do you know I can't afford it?
Faith: Pogi, I think you are in the wrong part of town, and
in the wrong store. Why don't you go to Quiapo and buy your ring there. There's
nothing in this store that you can afford.
Chris gets angry. He picks up an expensive knick knack from
the open display case, shocking the salesladies, and starts to throw it when he
felt someone hold his arm back. It was Carol.
Carol: C'mon Chris. Let's go.
She manages to calm him down and pull him away from the
store.
***
Scene: Kringle Street
Chris and Carol are sitting on one of the benches. Chris is still fuming.
Chris: Those judgmental bitches. What do they know about me?
Carol: That's how the world works. People judge other people
all the time.
Chris: (angrily)You knew exactly what was gonna happen,
didn't you!
Carol: I had a guess. But don't get angry at me. Chris, the
sooner you accept certain things about our society, the easier your life will
be.
Chris still looks unconvinced.
Carol: Don't you want Noelle's parents to like you?
Chris: Okay, okay. You win. I'll do it.
Carol: Ask me nicely. That's your first lesson.
Chris: Okay, okay. Jeez! (pause) Please help me, Miss Carol
Baltazar.
Carol: I would be happy to help you, Mr Christian Pascual.
Now is that so hard?
One of the promo girls comes over to them and offers Chris
some chocolates.
Promo girl: (flirty) Sir, would you care for a sample of the
finest Belgian milk chocolate?
Chris: Sure.
Chris takes one and eats it.
Chris: Ummmmm, this is delicious! (to Carol) You need to try
one of these.
Carol: No, thank you.
Promo girl: hi hi hi. Sir, do you have a girlfriend that you
can buy a box for? Or maybe you can buy it for your mom (looking at Carol)
Carol: (outraged) Excuse me! I'm NOT his mom! He and I are
the same age!
Promo girl: SO-RRY!! Geez. It's not my fault.
Chris: ha ha ha, Don't be mad, you know that to these
teenagers, we all seem like a hundred years old.
Carol: (thinking) Control yourself Carol. There's no reason
to be upset. You're being ridiculous.
Chris: Wait, you're 25?
He looks at her closely but looks like he does not believe
her.
Carol: How old I am is not important here!
Carol gets up and leaves in a huff.
Promo girl: Sir, aren't you gonna buy some chocolates?
Chris: Okay, I'll take them all. How many do you have left?
Promo girl: Eight boxes. Yes! Thank you!
Chris pays for them and takes the 8 boxes. He runs after
Carol until he catches up to her.
Chris: Ms. Carol, wait!
Carol stops and faces Chris.
She's doing her breathing exercises. She's trying to calm down.
Carol: I really have to apologize. I don't know what came
over me. I'm normally not like this.
Chris: No apologies necessary. (smiles) Actually, you seem
more human to me now.
Carol (thinking): I really need to get used to his smile or
else I'm doomed.
Chris: Hey, have you had dinner? I'm starving.
Carol: Great idea, I didn't have dinner yet.
They walk back to Prancer's Bistro.
They walk back to Prancer's Bistro.
***
Scene: Outside Prancer’s Bistro
Carol just stands by the door.
Chris: What? I thought you wanted to eat at this place?
Carol looks at him and pointedly at the door knob. Chris
rolls his eyes, but then opens the door for Carol and waits for her to go in
before following her inside.
Waiter: Table for two? Right this way please.
They follow the waiter to a quiet corner.
Chris pulls a chair and sits down. Carol coughs loudly. Chris
gets up and pulls Carol's chair for her to sit on. Then he sits down.
Carol: Thank you.
Chris: This is stupid custom.
Carol: But a custom nonetheless. Would it really kill you to
do it?
Chris: It would kill my spirit.
Carol: You have an answer for everything, don't you? My work
is going to be cut out for me.
They look through the menu and give the waiter their order.
Chris orders the spaghetti and meatballs.
The food arrives and Chris eats noisily and quickly.
Carol: Please close your mouth when you chew….
Carol: Please eat slowly….
Carol: Please don't make sounds while eating.
Chris: Let's talk 'bout you, Ms Carol. All of a sudden,
you've become an interesting person to me.
Carol: There's nothing interesting about me.
Chris: I highly doubt that. My friend has a theory about
uptight women like you.
Carol: I am not uptight.
Chris: Ha! If I Google 'uptight', your picture will come up.
Carol: I am not the subject here. You seem to enjoy getting a
rise out of people. Why do you suppose that is?
Chris: I have no idea what you mean.
Carol: You know perfectly well what I mean.
Chris: Why, am I getting a rise out of you now? (he wiggles
his eyebrows up and down)
Carol: (ignores that) I think you know how to act with
manners but you enjoy doing the opposite. (pause) But your temper is another
matter. I believe you do need to learn some techniques to handle your anger
issues. Believe me Chris, I can really help you.
Chris: Alright, alright. But can you cut me a break tonight?
Let's just eat, okay?
Carol: Okay. But we'll have to have a session tomorrow?
Chris: Sure, let's have a 'session' tomorrow. (he makes
'session' sound like something dirty, and sexy)
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