| Out of the Fire (Part One) |
| Scene on train Tootie sits down on a chair and streches her legs across the aisle to the other seats in order to block a woman from sitting down. TOOTIE: Is anyone sitting here? Uh, I'm looking for three girls, one blonde, two brunettes, late teens, medium height. Have you seen them. MAN: No. TOOTIE: I knew it. They're gonna miss the train. I woke up this morning and I said Tootie, that's me, they're gonna miss the train. I don't know how I knew. Call it a hunch. Call it intuation. Call it a gift. I don't know. I can't explain it. I won't try. MAN: Thank you. TOOTIE: You know I planned all of this. I got the schedule. I got the tickets. And all they had to do was show up. Is that too much to ask? Hold these seats please. Blair and Jo now appear in the scene as they walk aboard the train and towards the area where Tootie is at. BLAIR: Just because you can cram all your clothes into a gym bag. JO: Well, at least I don't need three porters. BLAIR: Do you see three porters? Where? Come on show me. JO: Alright, alright. Blair turns back towards the porter and takes money out of her purse. She puts the money into his hand and pats it. BLAIR: Share it with the others. (Says this to the porter while Jo isn't paying attention. Just then Tootie sees Jo and Blair. TOOTIE: Jo. Hugs her. JO: Tootie. TOOTIE: Blair. Hugs her. BLAIR: Tootie. TOOTIE: I missed you. BLAIR AND JO: We missed you Tootie. (Tootie has her arms on their shoulders). JO: Can we sit now? TOOTIE: I saved your seats. These are my friends Blair and Jo. (says this to man). This is a complete stranger. (Says this to Blair and Jo). BLAIR: Pleased, I'm sure. Man nods and goes back to reading his newspaper. TOOTIE: So, tell me everything. Where have you been? What'd you do? What happened? BLAIR: Well, I... Tootie cuts Blair off. TOOTIE: Don't start. Now where is Natalie? JO: Tootie take a breath. TOOTIE: She's gonna miss the train. I just know it. BLAIR: Tootie, there's nothing to panic about. She'll make it. (Train begins to move). And there's always another train. Just then Natalie appears on the train and in the scene. NATALIE: I made it. TOOTIE: Oh, Natalie. You made it. Walks toward Natalie. Hugs her. NATALIE: Did I have a choice? You called me three times. Then you sent me a confirming letter. Then you called to confirm that I got the letter. I took my phone off the hook and you sent me a balloon-a-gram. Natalie and Tootie begin to walk towards their seats where Blair, Jo, and the man are still sitting at. TOOTIE: Look who's here. Natalie's here. NATALIE: Hi guys. JO: Hi Nat. BLAIR: Hi Nat. TOOTIE: The important thing is we're all here. Now I wanna know everything that happened. Who wants to start? Blair, Jo, Natalie, and Tootie all look around at each other waiting for someone to speak. The man looks up from his paper. MAN: I got fired. TOOTIE: Thanks for sharing that. Jo, you go first. JO: Well, I worked at that kids camp that I told you about. I thought it was gonna be a breeze. It wasn't..... While Jo is talking Blair is thinking... BLAIR: Thinking.... Heaven knows I love kids, but if I have to listen to her constant, no good, social working dribble, I'm gonna loose my mind.... JO: ....Mostly from their parents not being there. They weren't used to listening to other adults. I got them to open up. That made me feel good you know? Blair stops thinking and says.... BLAIR: That's important. We have to feel like we've acomplished something. JO: Yeah, what'd you do? BLAIR: Shopped. But, I found everything that I wanted. Do you know how hard that is? But then I had nothing else to do. Then I said to myslef, you know, you could do this professionally. There are a lot of people who want stylish clothing but don't have the time or the ability or the space to find them... JO: Thinking while Blair is talking.... Tell, me she didn't shop all summer. Of course she did she's Blair. She's never gonna change. On the way to her grave the procession is gonna stop off at Bloomingdale's. BLAIR:.....I can say I changed the fashion sense of twelve people in New York city. JO: Oh, yu did their color charts and everything. BLAIR: The works. TOOTIE: You know it's only been two months, but you both have changed so much. We all have. Fluffs her hair. Natalie what did you do? The conductor collects their tickets. NATALIE: Made a killing $6.50 an hour. JO: Doing what? NATALIE: Who cares. $6.50 times forty hours plus overtime. That takes me round trip to Europe and enough to stay for three months. TOOTIE: I'm so happy for you. NATALIE: Thank you. TOOTIE: I'd be happier if you considered my feelings. It's not that I want to hold you back I mean if you want to go who am I to say no. Just because I'm your best friend in the whole world... NATALIE: Thinking while Tootie is talking.... I'm going to nail her mouth to the floor. I can picture it now she'd have a spike to her tongue, but her lips would still be moving. She's just keep whining on and on about how she'd never do something like that to me because she's my best friend. And if it makes me feel good to have nailed her tongue to the floor , then she's glad that I did it... Tootie looks at Natalie. Natalie finally notices. NATALIE: Oh, excuse me. I was just thinking. TOOTIE: Natalie, I understand why you have to go. You need those new experiences. You've grown. You've changed. You all have. JO: Yeah. TOOTIE: Doesn't anybody think I've changed? BLAIR: Yeah. JO: Yeah. NATALIE: Sure. (They all say this at the same time). TOOTIE: Like what? Fluffs her hair. BLAIR: You're hair? TOOTIE: It's nothing. MAN: Looks up from newspaper again. I've changed. TOOTIE: Did they ask you? It's really nothing. I just went to my hairdresser, Mr. Jeff and I said go wild, make it me. JO: It looks terrific. TOOTIE: Thanks. You know it's just great to be back together again. BLAIR: I can't believe this is going to be my seventh year in Peekskill. Thinking....The smallest, dullest town on the face of the earth. JO: Another year with the people we know best. Thinking...I give us two weeks. NATALIE: I'm gonna miss you all. Thinking...Tuesday's Florence, Thursday's Naples. TOOTIE: You'll be back. Face it, we're inseperatable. Thinking...You'll be back. Face it, we're inseperatable. MAN: You know I mnay come off as a sinic, but I envy you your friendships. Thinking...I wonder where she's carrying her money. Goes back to reading his newspaper. Show clip of burnt down Edna's Edibles. You hear the girls laughing as they are walking down the street towards the shop, but they cannot be scene. Finally, they get to the shop, or rather the remains of the shop. The girls are in shock. JO: Oh, my God. TOOTIE: How? Pauses...How? NATALIE: There's nothing left. BLAIR: A fire. There's been a fire here. JO: We know. BLAIR: There has been a fire here. I can tell, things are burnt. Just then Mrs. Garrett and a tall black man with glasses appear in the scene. The man is holding a clipboard. TOOTIE: Mrs. Garrett. MRS. GARRETT: Girls. I tried to call you. NATALIE: What happened? BLAIR: What do you mean what happened? A fire happened. There's been a fire here. I am right or am I right? MRS. GARRETT: This is Jack Humpres. MR. HUMPRES: Transel Ide Insurance. I'm here about the fire. BLAIR: See I told you there had been a fire. NATALIE: Mrs. Garrett, what happened? MRS. GARRETT: Well, we don't know how it started...something in the kitchen. TOOTIE: The iron! I forgot and I left it on. NATALIE: Tootie, that was two months ago. TOOTIE: Puts hand over mouth. Two months?! I left it on for two months?! MRS. GARRETT: No Tootie. I turned it off. (Tootie breathes a sigh of relief). I went out shopping yesterday and when I came back two hours later the fire was already over. Oh, thank God no one was here. The only real damage was to the kitchen. (The girls react). Oh, well there's smoke and water damage, but at least no one was hurt! JO: Well, it's just the kitchen and the shop. MRS. GARRETT: And the living room. JO: Well, it's not that bad. MRS. GARRETT: And your bedroom. JO: Our bedroom? NATALIE: Exactly how bad is the bedroom? MRS. GARRETT: No one was hurt! BLAIR: I don't wanna see it. MRS. GARRETT: Now just don't worry, my insurance policy will cover all your personal belongings. MR. HUMPRES: That you have a receipt for. BLAIR: Whimpers. MR. HUMPRES: You can make a list. JO: C'mon imagining it is probably worse than it is. Girls start heading toward the living room. BLAIR: Wouldn't you just know it. The one day I wear white. They are out of the shop. Mrs. Garrett and Mr. Humpres are still standing in the shop. GIRLS: (Are finally in the living room). Whoa!!! MRS. GARRETT: Oh, well it's just plaster and wood. Everythings replaceable. Laughs. It'll be alright. Laughs again. (Turns to Mr. Humpres). Think they bought it? MR. HUMPRES: I did. Exits. MRS. GARRETT: My shop, my beautiful, beautiful shop. She begins to sob and her lip trembles. Girls Bedroom BLAIR: Everything is ruined. JO: (Grabs a dripping wet pillow from her bed and tosses it down). Ewww. Smoke and soot and water. Ewww. Well, look the windows opened. They musta pumped a thousand gallons in here. Wait a minute! Where's my jacket?! TOOTIE: (Tootie is holding a black binder). Natalie here's your photo album and it's not even wet. NATALIE: (Opens up the photo album). No, it's just melted. Oh, there are black spots where people used to be. JO: Well, some of them are alright. NATALIE: (Is flipping through pages of the photo album). Here's me and the black spot. The black spot and a friend. Oh and look the black spot goes to Disney World. BLAIR: (Is looking through her closet and is crouched down). Oh, no. Oh, no. TOOTIE: What? BLAIR: (Picks up a frog stuffed animal). Mr. Frog! JO: (Picks up her jacket). Oh, my jacket. It's safe. Laughs. Don't know what I would have done if this had been ruined. Ahh. (In reality the jacket is all black and dirty). TOOTIE: It's a miracle. (Makes a face). JO: Yeah. (Swipes her hand over her jacket). NATALIE: Oh, here's a memory. The black spot pets a baby goat. TOOTIE: This is just a set back. But were strong. We can pick up and start again. BLAIR: Oh, yeah. Tell that to the frog. (Puts the frog in Tootie's face). Go on say it to it's face. You can't can you? You know why because he doesn't have a face Tootie, it's been chopped off. TOOTIE: Okay, okay. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to us. BLAIR: But what? TOOTIE: Beats me. NATALIE: (Walks up to Jo with her photo album). Here this will cheer you up. You and the black spot playing badminton. Tootie takes the brush off of the desk and begins to swipe stuff off of the desk and into the garbage can. BLAIR: Tootie what are you doing? TOOTIE: Cleaning up. BLAIR: What's the point? TOOTIE: Blair, this is our home. BLAIR: Take a look around Tootie. Commercial. Commercial break is over. Andy walks into the girls' bedroom. ANDY: How's it going? NATALIE: The best. We're having such a time. ANDY: Shocked, your upset, your bitter. I can dig it. NATALIE: Thanks. ANDY: I just heard. I couldn't believe it. I rushed right over. Come to Andy. Motions with his hands for the girls to come over to him. They all get in a group hug. They stop hugging. ANDY: Okay. Feel better? BLAIR: I know I do. ANDY: Now what can I do to help? JO: Well, we need to make a list of everything that was ruined. ANDY: Say no more. You gotta pen? (Andy takes out a pad of paper out of his back pocket. Jo hands him a pen that is bent because it is half melted. Andy looks at it). That's one pen. (Looks at Jo's jacket). One jacket. JO: What do you mean? BLAIR: Shh. (She puts her finger over her mouth). She doesn't know. NATALIE: I guess we should start with the big stuff like the beds. BLAIR: And where we're gonna sleep. TOOTIE: What do you mean? We'll all stay here. NATALIE: Tootie, come here. (Grabs a glass and walks over to her bed. She puts the glass underneath her mattress and she presses down on the mattress. Water comes oozing out of the mattress and fills the glass. She picks up the glass off of the floor and raises it in the air). Cheers. BLAIR: Well, I can stay at the Higheth. JO: I can always bunk in the dorm. NATALIE: Oh, I guess that leaves me with Italy. TOOTIE: Sure, cut and run. NATALIE: Tootie, my travel agent has put me on a really tight schedule. I get to Venice one minute late, I miss my bus, I run to catch up, I fall in a canal, I drown. TOOTIE: Alright, alright. But if we do leave it's just a temporary thing. Just until things work out here. JO: Come on Tootie. I mean it's not like we planned on living together for the rest of our lives. TOOTIE: That's the first I've heard of it. Just then Mrs. Garrett walks into the girls' bedroom. MRS. GARRETT: Have you got the list? ANDY: I'm still working on it. TOOTIE: We made a decision and its almost anonymous. We're gonna get this place back together. Rebuild the shop. MRS. GARRETT: Tootie, thanks for the offer. But there's something I haven't told you. I'm tired of Edna's Edibles. TOOTIE: What? MRS. GARRETT: Oh, well it's taken over my life. In the beginning it's what I needed, but now I could go back to school full time, maybe start traveling again. TOOTIE: You mean, you're going to throw us out? MRS. GARRETT: Oh, well we'll talk about where we're all gonna stay later. You'll be alright. We all will. C'mon Andy, we've got work to do. Mrs. Garrett exits. Andy looks back at the other girls before exiting. Girls look down at the floor. TOOTIE: There goes one heck of a woman. The girls nod. JO: Yeah, she's something. TOOTIE: I admire her even more for doing that. NATALIE: What? TOOTIE: Lying for our sake. NATALIE: Tootie, she doesn't want the shop. She's gonna go to school. She's gonna travel, she's gonna have the time of her life. TOOTIE: And you believe that? JO: The one thing I know about Mrs. Garrett is that she doesn't lie. I mean the whole time you've known her have you ever known her to lie? TOOTIE: Sure. JO: Like when? TOOTIE: (Looks to Blair). You remember that time that Ron Hooper called and Mrs. Garrett took the message? BLAIR: Yeah, he had to break our date because he had the flu. Tootie shakes her head no. BLAIR: He didn't have the flu? Tootie shakes her head no again. BLAIR: He wasn't even sick? Tootie shakes her head no. BLAIR: He hated my guts? Tootie nods her head yes. BLAIR: (Looks surprised). I knew that. TOOTIE: She knew the truth would hurt too much so she lied. NATALIE: How do you know that? TOOTIE: I listened in on her phone calls...Hey I was young! JO: That doesn't mean she's lying about the shop. TOOTIE: Alright, look. Let's just give her some time to think this through. And if she really doesn't need us, then you all can go. No arguement from me. BLAIR: You promise. TOOTIE: No. JO: Alright. BLAIR: Okay. NATALIE: I'll be here in spirit. (Tootie gives her a look and moves towards her). If I didn't have my reservations. Tootie your not going to make me do the noble thing? I'm packed. I got the broshure. It's spring over there. I may have an audience with the Pope. Commercial. Show comes back on and they show the burnt down shop. Blair is by the blackened counter and has a bucket of water. She has Mr. Frog in her hand. She squeezes the water out of him. BLAIR: I never even gave you a name. Jo walks onto the scene. She enters the shop by walking through the place where the window used to be. Jo is holding a red bag in her hand. JO: The dorms all booked up. BLAIR: I have asked you not to do that. JO: What? BLAIR: Walk through the window. It only draws attention to the fact that we haven't got one. Any body could be watching. JO: Oh, yeah and this is a real looters paradise. They'll come from miles and miles to get this, (picks up a basket) wait I'll save them the trouble. (She throws it out the "window"). Yo, come and get it! Now we don't have to worry. Blair gives Jo a look. Just then Natalie and Tootie enter onto the scene. NATALIE: (Has the basket in her hand). Do you believe what the firemen left outside? TOOTIE: Where's Mrs. Garrett? JO: Where have you been? TOOTIE: New York. We bought some great stuff. NATALIE: For the new store. JO: What new store. TOOTIE: Natalie, you weren't supposed to say anything. NATALIE: It just slipped out. BLAIR: What new store? NATALIE: I'm not supposed to say. TOOTIE: It's a surprise. NATALIE: You understand. Mrs. Garrett enters the shop with envelopes. MRS. GARRETT: Our checks came from the insurance company today. That Mr. Humphres is a man of his word bless him. NATALIE: Oh, great. MRS. GARRETT: Natalie (Hands Natalie an envelope), BLAIR (Hands Blair an envelope), Jo (Hands Jo an envelope), and Toofie (Mrs. Garrett laughs and hands Tootie an envelope. TOOTIE: (Puts her envelope aside). Mrs. Garrett, we have some nesws for you. Edna's Edibles is a memory. MRS. GARRETT: Thanks for the bulletin. NATALIE: She's talking about a new business. TOOTIE: It was my idea. NATALIE: We went to New York to find out what was really hot, and we found it. (Natalie takes a hamburger lamp out of one of her plastic shopping bags). MRS. GARRETT: A hamburger lamp? (Is a little puzzled). JO: You want her to open a hamburger lamp shop? TOOTIE: You have to open your minds to thins. Think trendy. think popuree. Think eclectic. BLAIR: Think ugly. TOOTIE: It was Nat's idea, but this you'll die for. Natalie takes out a hanger that had a glamourized woman face and shoulders attached to it. JO: (Has a discusted look on her face). You paid money for that right? NATALIE: $14.95 JO: Fifteen bucks for a hanger? NATALIE: I couldn't believe it either. TOOTIE: They couldn't keep them in stock. See, we put all this kinda sutff in one store. Cards, gifts, and whatnots. MRS. GARRETT: But I don't want another business. TOOTIE: Because it will tie you down. Because you have other interests. Because you want time for yourself. NATALIE: She thought of that. TOOTIE: And I took it into account. The idea is to give each person her own department. For example, Blair fashion. (Natalie shows a lime green shirt. Gives it to Blair. Blair plays with the shirt by tugging on the arms and the bottom of it to make sure it isn't made out of poor material). TOOTIE: I found a little old lady. She makes 'em in her spare time. NATALIE: She has raw talent. You can mold her Blair. BLAIR: (Sets the shirt down). Yeah, I can work with it. TOOTIE: And JO. What do you think of this? (Tootie is hold a keychain). JO: It's a keychain Tootie. TOOTIE: Ah, ha. But let's say you loose your keys. (Tootie throws the keychain). Oh, my I've lost my keys. What shall I do? (Puts her hand on her cheek). Clap my hands I guess. (Claps her hands. Just then you hear the keychain beeping). Oh, oh. (Tootie puts her hand up to her ear). They must be over there. (She walks over to the beeping keychain. She then hands Jo the keychain). NATALIE: And Mrs. Garrett, running a business is hard work? TOOTIE: Right. NATALIE: But, there's an aspect of it that you truly find theraputic. I am correct? TOOTIE: Absolutely. NATALIE: So, when things get to much and you want to wined down and relax, what is it you do? MRS. GARRETT: Sleep. TOOTIE: Wrong. MRS. GARRETT: Well, I also bake. I know it's peculiar, but it works for me. NATALIE: Exactly. TOOTIE: And that's all you would do. You would make wonderful cookies. NATALIE: No big shop. No big headaches. Just one small corner with a few stools. MRS. GARRETT: Just one corner, huh? JO: And what do you do Natalie? NATALIE: Nothing. I'm going to Europe. TOOTIE: Right after she sets up the greeting cards. (Natalie nods. Tootie claps). So, what do you all think? JO: Mrs. G? MRS. GARRETT: Thanks. For all your effort. NATALIE: It was nothing. TOOTIE: I did most of it. MRS. GARRETT: But, the truth is. I really don't want another business. I haven't got the heart to rebuild. I haven't got the money. TOOTIE: Well, you got your insurance. MRS. GARRETT: It wasn't enough. I didn't want to tell you because I was too embarrassed. I, uh never updated my policy. I called my insurance agent several times. I's say, Hi, how are you? And he'd tell me about his divorce and his bad teeth and I didn't want to add to his problems. JO: Mrs. G, that is so...dumb. BLAIR: Can't you get a loan? MRS. GARRETT: Oh, look at my calaterol. (Weakly laughs). Oh, it's okay. The store isn't my life. Now, we're not gonna become strangers. JO: You know, I'm not used to having money anyway, so if it'll help, your more than welcome to my insurance check. TOOTIE: That's a terrific idea. We'll all chip in our insurance money. NATALIE: We will? MRS. GARRETT: I couldn't take that it's for you. NATALIE: She couldn't take that Tootie. BLAIR: That's a great idea. JO: At least it'll help get you started. NATALIE: Ahh. You guys, look at this place. We could hold a tell-a-thon for ourselves. TOOTIE: It's not that bad. I've seen worse. MRS. GARRETT: We'd have to find a very cheap contractor. NATALIE: Impossible. MRS. GARRETT: We might get merchandise on 30 days approvale. NATALIE: But it's doubtful. MRS. GARRETT: We'd all have to want it. NATALIE: We came so close. MRS. GARRETT: It's doable. But, I'd insist on one thing. You wouldn't work for me. We'd be partners. JO: Partners? You mean 50/50? Ah, 50..50..50? BLAIR: Good, Jo. We'll let you do the books. NATALIE: Partners. I could live in Europe and every week you could send me my profits. (Hands over her check. Mail it to Maxims. They'll know where I am). MRS. GARRETT: (Smiles). Thanks Nat. JO: There's one more thing this store of ours would have to stock. Jo hands Blair a red bag. Looks at Blair and smiles and then looks down. Blair pulls out the item inside of the bag. BLAIR: MR. FROG!!! I brand new Mr. Frog! That's impossible! Where'd you find him? JO: Paymart/K-Mart? They got hundreds of 'em. Blair is holding Mr. Frog and she's smiling. MRS. GARRETT: Girls, I'd like to say something about today. We are on the verge of a new era in our relationship. We're gonna be partners. Together in the good times and in the bad. Sharing the profits and the heartaches...... While Mrs. Garrett is saying her speech the girls are thinking........ NATALIE: Uh, oh. I hear a speech coming. BLAIR: I love you Mrs. Garrett, please, keep it short. JO: (Rolls her eyes). We're gonna be here till Monday. TOOTIE: I think I'm gonna cry. CREDITS ROLL.... THE END |