TAKEN TO THE CLEANER

Written by

Will Sankhla

OVER BLACK

The first few notes of “The Four Seasons: Concerto No. 4 in F Minor, RV 297, ‘Winter’: I. Allegro non molto by Antonio Vivaldi”.

The music continues over the next series of shots...

CLOSE SHOT

An earnest-faced man in his mid 30s, clad in a brown corduroy jacket gliding along with the camera.

CLOSE SHOT

A foot kicks the ground and propels the base of a razor scooter forward.

FULL SHOT

The man, BILLY, now visible in his entirety - corduroy jacket and jeans holding on to the handlebars of a razor scooter with an optimistic smile plastered on his face.

WIDE SHOT

He coasts down a precipitous hill toward a sprawling strip mall near the bottom. One gleaming store stands out among them; the sign on it reads, “Oasis Cleaners”.

WIDE SHOT

He arrives at the dry cleaners and comes to a stop.

CLOSE UP

His hands quickly fold the scooter and slide it into a case slung over his shoulder. From the same case he pulls out a pair of white pants.

LOW ANGLE

He surveys the front of the dry cleaners with its blinds drawn over the full length windows and the glass door in the center.

CLOSE UP

The sign on the door reads in cursive letters, “Come in, we’re open”.

CLOSE SHOT

He steadies himself at the threshold of the dry cleaners.

CLOSE SHOT

His hand pushes open the door.

INT. DRY CLEANERS - DAY

A Korean woman in her late 40s, TERESA, looking down at the register. Her curly, unkempt hair glows in the light bouncing off the plastic covering the revolving clothes.

CLOSE UP

Billy’s smitten face.

WIDE SHOT

Him by the door, her behind the register and a golden Buddha perched on a table in the chasm between them.

CLOSE SHOT - BILLY’S POV

She starts saying something. We see her lips move but can’t hear anything as it’s being drowned out by the Vivaldi playing on the soundtrack.

CLOSE UP

His smitten face finally begins to recognize that it’s being addressed. The music fades out and he blurts out--

BILLYWhat!?

TERESA(Direct)

How many pieces?

BILLY(Entranced)

Just one.

TERESA(Befuddled)

One again?

BILLY(Cross-checking)

Yes, only one. Is that okay?

TERESA(Thoughtful)

No, it is okay for me but one piece every day may be tough for you.

2.

(MORE)

You come every day, you miss your lunch, no good right?

BILLY(Unintentionally)

No, no, I enjoy coming here. (Regaining composure but only kind of...)

I mean I like getting out. And I don’t have friends to have lunch with. I mean I have friends, many, many friends and I eat, I like food, but...

TERESA(Interrupting)

It is okay. You come every day. I like you.

CLOSE UP - BILLY

A hesitant moment...

CLOSE SHOT - BILLY’S POV

Teresa works the register.

BILLY(On the verge of confession)

I like...

TERESA(Focused down at the register)

What?

CLOSE UP - BILLY

...and the moment passes as he finds himself unable to finish his confession...

She reaches for the white pair of pants that he has been clutching in his hands through the whole conversation.

TERESA (CONT’D)Here. (Hands him the ticket) See you tomorrow now!

He walks out of the store dejected.

Her voice calls for him--

3.

TERESA (CONT'D)

TERESA (O.S.) (CONT’D)Excuse me! Excuse me!

CLOSE UP - BILLY

The music picks up again as his face starts brimming with anticipation.

He turns back expectantly.

FULL SHOT

She holds his pair of pants high above her head.

TERESA (CONT’D)Straight or pleated?

BILLY(Defeated)

Straight.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. THE FRONT SCREEN DOOR OF A HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

Billy’s razor blade scooter getting wet on the grass as a portable sprinkler waters it and the dog food bowl beside it.

CLOSE SHOT

Billy seems to be talking to someone off screen.

BILLY(In disbelief)

I eat?! I like food?! What is wrong with me, Noah? When will I be able to tell her? When? When?

No response from Noah who is off screen.

BILLY (CONT’D)(Agitated)

Are you even listening to me? Noah! Please. You’re are my best friend. Help me. Now!

MEDIUM SHOT

The person with his back to the camera at the computer desk turns to look back at Billy. He is NOAH, a nerdy looking boy in his late teens - a young Jonah Hill type.

4.

SCENE 1

NOAH(Unflappable)

Calm down and I will.

BILLY(Not calm)

I am calm.

NOAHOkay. I’ll be right here. You take your time.

Noah turns back to his computer.

BILLY(Desperate)

Fine. I’m sorry. I am calm. I am calm. Can you please help me now?

Noah glances over his shoulder at Billy.

NOAH(Assuredly)

Come here.

Billy walks over to Noah at the desk.

An elaborately hand drawn map sits there. Its haphazard lines and arrows make Brownian motion look organized by comparison.

NOAH (CONT’D)(Brimming with conviction)

That’s it. You have to do exactly as I tell you. Can you do that?

BILLY(Impatiently)

Yes, I can do that. Yes.

CUT TO:

FULL SHOT

Billy gliding away on his scooter looking ever so optimistic.

Noah enters the frame riding his very own razor scooter and power kicks his way ahead of Billy.

LOW ANGLE

Noah saunters toward the dry cleaners.

CLOSE SHOT - BILLY

5.

Billy’s gaze fixed on Noah’s every move.

CLOSE SHOT

Noah turns around with supreme confidence to look at Billy.

Billy is in awe.

Noah gets something out of his back pocket and proceeds to put it on his face. It is an adhesive handlebar moustache.

He looks at Billy with nonchalance, turns and struts toward the store.

Billy soaring in anticipation.

INT. DRY CLEANERS - CONTINUOUS

Noah walks straight up to Teresa at the register.

TERESAHow many pieces?

NOAHJust one.

Noah holds out a little gun, barely edging out a cigarette lighter in size and points it toward Teresa.

TERESA(Bemused)

Excuse me?!

NOAH(The nonchalance continues)

I am here to rob you.

TERESA(Nonplussed)

What?! Go away.

NOAH(Enunciating)

I said, “I am here to rob you.”

TERESA(Also enunciating)

I said, “Go away.”

6.

SCENE 2

NOAHI have a gun.

(Getting increasingly desperate)

You need to be afraid of me!

TERESA(Dismissive)

I’m not. Go away.

NOAH(Annoyed)

No!

He looks around the store frantically in the face of his unraveling plan and spots the Buddha.

NOAH (CONT’D)(Exasperated)

Fine.

He scurries to the Buddha, grabs it off the table and jets toward the door.

TERESA(Emphatically)

Leave my Buddha alone. Little boy. Leave him alone. Little boy! You!

EXT. OUTSIDE THE DRY CLEANERS - CONTINUOUS

Billy is in set position, ready to sprint off the blocks.

The Vivaldi music picks up again:

Noah comes running out, his arms wrapped around the Buddha.

Billy looks at the scene momentarily befuddled and then sprints into action chasing after Noah.

As he chases Noah at full speed, a figure darts past him, easily outpacing him and catches up to Noah. It is Teresa.

Teresa tries to free the Buddha from Noah’s clutches.

Noah does not let go of the Buddha, and in the struggle with Teresa falls to the ground.

Teresa raises her arm to hit Noah.

Noah panics and calls out to Billy for help.

7.

NOAH(Panicked)

Billy!

CLOSE SHOT

Teresa turns to look, her arm suspended in motion above Noah wondering who Noah is calling out for help and spots Billy standing a few feet away perplexed.

CLOSE UP

A look of recognition and dawning comprehension in Teresa’s eyes.

FADE OUT.

Billy gliding on his scooter with confidence.

He arrives at the dry cleaners and comes to a stop.

He folds the scooter, slides it into the case slung over his shoulder and retrieves a bouquet of flowers from it.

He walks through the open door of the dry cleaners. His face glows from the light bouncing off the plastic covering the flowers.

He has reached her: him by the register, her behind it and the Buddha perched on top of the counter, closing the gap between them.

As he gives Teresa the bouquet, she receives it with a glad smile, lovingly smells the red roses and calls out ---

TERESA(Authoritatively)

Little boy!

Noah appears from the back of the store dressed in an employee apron.

TERESA (CONT’D)(Handing Noah the bouquet)

Put it in water.

NOAH(Sheepishly to Billy)

Billy...

BILLY(Apologetically to Noah)

Noah...

8.

Teresa notices the concern in Billy’s eyes and reassures him--

TERESADon’t worry. Tomorrow is the last day. I will release him.

Billy is relieved and leans in gently to touch Teresa’s hand. Teresa responds with warmth in her eyes.

Billy leans in further as if to kiss Teresa.

CUT TO BLACK.

9.