Dinner Dinner Dinner
Episode 203
Fade In: Exterior of Max’s house. It is night-time. Judy is seated at the kitchen table with Mr. Peepers eating out of his dish on the kitchen floor. Max enters from the stairs nicely dressed.
Judy: Are you going out with Aunt Brooke again tonight, Daddy?
Max: Yes, Pumpkin.
Judy: Can I come?
Max: I’m sorry, honey, but not tonight. We are having dinner at Brooke’s mother’s house and it will be really boring. You wouldn’t like it at all. Besides, David should be home in about fifteen minutes. You can get something to eat then.
Judy: Okay, Daddy, but it is true?
Max: Is what true?
Judy: What they say about Aunt Brooke’s mother?
Max: I don’t know, honey. What do they say?
Judy: That she’s a witch?
Max: I don’t know. Maybe I’ll find out tonight if I dump a bucket of water on her.
Judy: (Laughs): Oh, Daddy.
Max: Okay, I better go get Brooke. Listen, we won’t be late so stay up because Brooke and I have a nice surprise for you and David.
Judy: A surprise? What is it, Daddy? Gimme a hint.
Max: You’re going to have to wait on this one, Pumpkin. Brooke wants to tell you both herself. (Kisses her on the cheek) I’ll be home in a couple of hours. Be good.
Judy: Ohhh, okay. I will Daddy. (He exits. Picks up Mr. Peepers) Well, Mister Peepers, I guess it’s just you and me tonight. I wonder what surprise Daddy and Aunt Brooke has for me and David. (Knock on the back door.)
CUT-TO: Exterior. Max’s back door. Judy opens it.
Judy: (Surprised): Mommy, what are you doing here?
Sylvia: What? I can’t come by and see my little girl?
CUT-TO: Interior. Max’s kitchen. Sylvia enters as Judy follows holding Mr. Peepers, who hisses.
Judy: Daddy’s not here right now. He’s going out to dinner with Aunt Brooke.
Sylvia: Aunt is she? Well I’m your mother. Don’t you forget that.
Judy: I won’t, Mommy.
Sylvia: It seems like you have. You never come over to see me. You or David. (She sneezes) I see you still have that damn cat.
Judy: Mister Peepers is my friend, Mommy.
Sylvia: And I’m your mother!
Judy: I don’t want to fight with you, Mommy. I want us to be friends.
Sylvia: Friends? We are more than friends. You’re my daughter. I do love you, Judy, even though you lied and said you got drugs for me from Mick O’Leary.
Judy: It wasn’t a lie.
Sylvia: It wasn’t the truth. I never sent you to do anything like that. I’m not blaming for being confused about it. You were always a confused little girl. (She sneezes.) Get rid of that damn cat!
(David enters and slams the door)
David: What are you doing here?
Sylvia: That’s a fine way to talk to your mother. (She opens a cabinet and finds a bottle of booze.) Where does your father keep his glasses?
David: No we’re not doing this. The last time you came here you got Judy so upset she ran outta the house into the pouring rain and almost had a bookstore collapse on top of her. No, you need to go and go now!
Sylvia: How dare you speak to me that way.
David: Jesus, you’re drunk like always. (Opens the door.) Out!
Sylvia: May I remind you that I took great care of you and your sister for many years and what thanks do I get for that? Neither one of you ever comes to see me. There I am alone in that house without my children without anyone–
David: Fuck you! You don’t get to come down from your house on the hill and then dump it on us about how ungrateful and terrible we are. It’s the same damn song you played when we lived with you but it ends today, Sylvia. Judy is my sister and we’ve become close ever since we got the hell away from you and nothing or no one is gonna come in here and shit all over my sister and me anymore. Especially someone like you. (He grabs her arm and tosses her.) Now get out of our house and go out with the trash where you belong! (He slams the door and holds Judy, who’s crying) It’s all right, Sis, I’m here and I’m gonna be here all night.
Judy: Thank you, David, thank you.
David: Shhhh–
Judy: She just came in and started–
David: It’s all right. You’re safe now.
Judy: Daddy went out to dinner with Aunt Brooke. He says they have a surprise for us when they come home.
David: Okay, then you and me are gonna watch some tv and eat and wait up. I’ll call up Romano’s for some pizza?
Judy: And bread sticks.
David: Gotta love those bread sticks.
(They smile as David starts dialing his phone.)
CUT-TO: Interior. Romano’s Restaurant. Lena is on the phone behind the counter.
Lena: Got it. Two large pizzas extra cheese on one and extra tomatoes on the other and how many bread sticks? Ten? You want us to deliver it? Okay, David, we will do that. It will be about a half hour. All right. Thank you. Goodnight. (She hangs up the phone as Noel enters from the kitchen.) Where have you been?
Noel: Out, love.
Lena: Out? You’ve been gone for two days.
Noel: And now I’m back.
Lena: I was worried about you.
Noel: That’s sweet and speaking of sweet look who walked through the door.
Jim: (Entering up to the counter with Patrick): Hello, Lena.
Lena: Hi, Jim. Hi, Patrick.
Patrick: Hi, Lena, Uncle Noel.
Noel: Well at least the boy has manners, Jim. His mother taught him well.
Jim: You shut up. Do you have our subs and pizza, Lena, please?
Lena: I’ll get them for you. (She exits)
Noel: The great and powerful Jim Burke has the nerve to come into my establishment and tell me to shut up.
Jim: It’s not yours.
Lena: (She enters with the subs and pizza): Here we are. That will be twenty-five dollars please.
Noel: What do you mean it’s not mine? Of course it’s mine. I’m standing here and you’re coming in so it must be mine.
Jim: It’s Lena’s. It’s not yours. Nothing is yours. Nothing. You own nothing you do nothing you’re nothing.
Patrick: Dad, I think Lena wants her money.
Jim: Oh, sorry. (He takes the twenty-five out of his wallet.)
Noel: Well at least I am here so I must be something unlike your precious wife–
Jim: Don’t talk about Kathy.
Noel: Who doesn’t appear to be anywhere–
Jim: Shut up about Kathy.
Noel: So if she’s not here she must be noth–
(Jim grabs Noel from behind the counter, lifts him over the counter, and punches him hard in his face and Noel goes down.)
Jim: What did you say about my wife? Get up you limey bastard!
(Ginny and Martin enter.)
Noel: (From the floor): He’s trying to kill me!
Jim: Wrong! I tried it before but this time I’m going to succeed.
(Ginny runs over)
Ginny: Hey, hey, break it up!
Noel: (Rises slowly): He wanted to kill me.
Ginny: Hey, just cool off.
Patrick: Dad, our food’s ready. Let’s go.
Martin: Go ahead, Jim, go. Go on.
Ginny: (To Noel): You want to press charges?
Noel: Yes.
Lena: No he doesn’t. (Noel looks at her.) You started it. All Jim did was to come in here with Patrick and get his food. It’s my husband’s fault.
Jim: Good night, Lena. Thanks.
(He and Patrick exit.)
Martin: (To Ginny): How about that dinner, huh? Over at O’Leary’s?
Ginny: All right. Good night. (To Lena) Call me if there’s any more trouble.
(They exit)
Noel: Couldn’t stop yourself from defending your precious boy toy Jim Burke, could you?
Lena: Leave me alone, Noel.
Noel: Admit it. You’re still in love with him.
Lena: I’ll only admit one thing we both already know. You’re not in love with me and I’m not in love with you. I only married you because you said Declan was yours. Well Declan isn’t here. He’s off somewhere with Kathy so he may never come back so do me a favor leave me alone. Just leave me alone.
CUT-TO: Exterior. Romano’s Restaurant. Jim and Patrick enter and stand on the sidewalk.
Jim: I’m sorry, Patrick, I shouldn’t have acted like that in front of you.
Patrick: Dad, you were cool. You protected Mom. I get it. I miss her too.
Jim: She’ll be home soon.
Patrick: You don’t know that, Dad.
Jim: I do.
Patrick: No you don’t, Dad. Colleen’s busy at Harvard. Right now it’s just you and me your gay son.
Jim: What did you call yourself?
Patrick: Your gay son. That’s how you think of me, right?
Jim: No, Patrick, that’s not how I think of you. I think of you as my son. I don’t care whether you are gay or not.
Patrick: You didn’t like it when I told I was.
Jim: I was shocked yes but that was a long time ago. I needed time to accept it and I have. You’re my son. That’s all that matters to me and we will find your mother. Do you believe me?
Patrick: Yeah, Dad, I believe you.
(Jim hugs Patrick as Martin and Ginny enter.)
Martin: Everything all right with you two?
Patrick: Yeah, Grampy, everything is all right.
CUT-TO: Interior. O’Leary’s Tavern. Martin and Ginny enter as Melanie exits from behind the bar and greets them.
Melanie: Hi, Mart, hi, Ginny.
Martin: Hi, Melanie.
Melanie: Are two together?
Martin: Yes.
Melanie: I’ve got a table for you both right here. (They cross to the table and Martin and Ginny sit.) I’m your server tonight. David has the night off and Sheri is in Florida with your daughter.
Martin: What is Sheri doing in Florida with Paula?
Melanie: Something about a movie?
Martin: I hope Paula doesn’t get Sheri mixed up in some crazy movie.
Ginny: That’s right. You’re daughter is a movie star?
Martin: Yes among other things. (To Ginny) Would you like a beer?
Ginny: Yes, that would be nice.
Martin: Make that two.
Melanie: Two beers coming up. (She exits)
Ginny: What’s usually good to eat here?
Martin: The beer. (They laugh) So tell me about yourself. Do you know anyone here in Maple Falls?
Ginny: Yes. Ralph Donahue is my brother.
Martin: Grace Donahue’s husband?
Ginny: Yes do you know my brother?
Martin: I can’t honestly I do. I know Grace because she comes in the store and gets her paper, milk and eggs and she runs Crest Haven but I’ve never really seen much of Ralph.
Ginny: Oh. Ralph’s always been somewhat shy.
Melanie: (Enters): Here are you beers. Do you both need more time?
Martin: Why don’t you get us a couple of cheese burgers, fries, stuff like that. (To Ginny) Is that okay with you?
Ginny: Sure. That’s fine.
Melanie: Two cheese burgers with everything. Got it. (She exits)
Ginny: She seems like a great girl. How do you know her?
Martin: Melanie? She used to run a vacation spot where I keep my cabin. I should take you up to it some time. It’s very peaceful. I bought it as a surprise for Maureen. She’s my wife. I mean, she was my wife. She passed away earlier this year.
Ginny: I’m sorry to hear that.
Martin: I bought it so when she became well again we could go live there but that didn’t happen.
Ginny: Do you mind if I asked what happened to her?
Martin: She was hit by a car in a hit and run and fell into a coma and never came out of it.
Ginny: Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Did they find out who did it?
Martin: Yes but it’s a long story. You don’t want to hear all that.
Ginny: I don’t want you to tell me if it’s going to upset you but if you want to tell me I’m all ears.
Martin: It’s a bore.
Ginny: I get the odd feeling that you could never bore me, Martin.
Martin: Well what happened was…
Close up of Ginny’s smiling face
CUT-TO: Interior. Violet’s cottage. A knock on the door and Violet appears wearing a long flowing gown. The cottage is perfectly set as is the table. Violet goes and opens the door.
Violet: My guests have finally arrived.
Fade to Black
Everlasting Love 