A Scene from SHINE (working title) – the Musical
by conrad panganiban
[A song begins and MANDY and CARLOS dance and sing around Juice It. The song has crazy mad beats and it’s about making dreams happen.]
As the song ends, a KAREN, enters the store.
CARLOS
Hey, Mandy. Got a customer behind you.
MANDY turns around and freezes.
KAREN
Ate Amanda?
MANDY
Hi Karen.
MANDY goes around the counter and gives her little cousin a hug.
KAREN
How are you doing? I haven’t seen you in so long.
MANDY
I know. Since the funeral. Um, so, how’s everybody doing down south?
KAREN
We’re all doing fine. JB graduated last year and working at Cedar Sinai as a cardiac nurse now.
MANDY
From UCLA, right?
KAREN
Yeah. I’m sorry that you couldn’t make it to his graduation.
MANDY
Well, I’ve been here running this store and the others. Plus, we’re always short staffed. You know how good employees are hard to find. Soooo… what brings you here to town?
KAREN
Just a short business trip. I’m leaving early tomorrow for New York, then off to Dallas before heading back home. Hey, do you wanna get together for some dinner tonight?
MANDY
I’m not sure if I can get away. I have to do the totals for our regional stores… and…
KAREN
Well, then. Next time, I guess. Since I’m here, I’ll give your dad a call, if that’s all right.
MANDY
Of course. He’d love to hear from you.
KAREN
You’re still at the same number, right?
MANDY
Same one for the last 27 years.
KAREN
Perfect. If you get off early, give me a call okay?
KAREN reaches into her purse and pulls out a business card.
KAREN (CONT.)
Or you can email… or text. It’s all good.
MANDY
Thanks. Hey, did you wanna order something? On me of course, I own the store.
KAREN
Just some OJ. I saw a 24-Hour Fitness across the street and was headed there when I saw you dancing around in here. It made me think about when we were kids and we’d have those shows in the living room for Lola and Lolo. You taught all your cousins the dopest moves from the Janet Jackson videos.
MANDY
Those were the days.
KAREN
You still dance?
MANDY
Me… no. That was ages ago. And that was a silly dream… and this is real life. Here’s your juice.
KAREN
Thanks, Ate. I better jet. Give me a call so we can hang out again.
They hug each other.
KAREN
Love you.
MANDY
Love you too.
KAREN exits as MANDY heads to the door to wave bye. MANDY just stares out there for a while and looks down at Karen’s business card.
Enter CARLOS.
CARLOS
Hey, you better not let Dick catch you daydreaming again.
MANDY doesn’t say anything or turn around.
CARLOS
Chica, what’s wrong? Was it my Dick comment? Listen, you might not like Dick… but I…
MANDY turns around.
MANDY
Carlos!
CARLOS
Got you to turn around! Now tell Carlito what’s bothering you.
MANDY
My little cousin just came by.
CARLOS
You have a cousin? I thought that it was just you and your dad.
MANDY
It is… but then there’s my rich successful alter-ego family living in SoCal.
MANDY hands CARLOS Karen’s business card.
CARLOS
Fancy shmancy. It even smells rich. Bet they treat you like Cinderella, before she got all beautified and shit.
MANDY
No, not even. They’re really cool, it’s just that I wish I could relate. I wonder what it’d be like to not always be living from paycheck to paycheck. To not feel like I’m lower than them. I mean, she never would make me feel bad. It’s just me I guess. It just feels like everyone but me gets the breaks. When is it going to be my turn?
CARLOS
That time will come and soon. You’re still going to that audition, right?
MANDY
Oh, shoot! That’s right. What time is it?
CARLOS
Time to get a watch.
MANDY
Carlos!
CARLOS
Sorry, baby. You know I can never resist when someone asks me that. It’s 4:30 child.
MANDY takes off her apron.
MANDY
Cover for me, ‘kay? I gotta get home and change. I can’t go there looking like this.
CARLOS
Or smelling like that too. Get going girl… and break a leg.
MANDY gives CARLOS a quick hug and exits.