Curtain Call! Let’s make a Scene!

Oh, Literati!

(Stephen Cobert has Nation, Rush Limbaugh has Dittoheads  but A Word with You Press has Literati!)

Who among us would not want to take direction from our favorite Kiwi, Theresa Ann?  (ME, Me, Pick ME!)

Today Theresa Ann launches her inter-active department Let’s Make a Scene. (copyrighted) What fun!  Here is her stage play that is in need of a middle and ending.  We’re handing you the literary baton so you can tell us where the characters should go next.  Send in your suggestions,  as a separate word attachment with Let’s Make a Scene in the subject line to theresa@awordwithyoupress.com by Friday evening. Theresa will publish her reader’s choice as a continuation of the story.  Instead of  reading the New York Times Sunday afternoon, take a look at what Theresa did with your suggestions, and help shape the next scene.  She will raise the curtain on Let’s Make A Scene every Sunday.

By submitting yours suggestions you are giving A Word with You Press full rights to make millions off your ideas, your only reward knowing that you made Theresa smile.

Here are a few words from the director herself:

“Welcome to our interactive play. Readers can mix and match ingredients and decide which door our characters shall enter next. The plot can thicken or thin…..stir carefully.

Places, everyone…ACTION!”

 

Cast of Characters

 

Ashley

Ted

Laurel

Michael

Taylor

Your Choice

 

 

 

INT. PENTHOUSE APT. 22ND FLOOR. VIEW OVER THE CITY LIGHTS.

ASHLEY IS WIPING OFF WINE GLASSES IN THE KITCHEN OF HER

BOYFRIEND TED’S APT.  SHE SEES THE RHINESTONE STUDDED CAT

BOWL ON THE COUNTER AND SURREPTITIOUSLY MOVES IT TO THE

FLOOR.

 

TED

Don’t touch that bowl! It’s

Annie’s.

 

ASHLEY

Yeah, but her bowl is on the

counter top again.

 

TED

Annie prefers to eat on the counter

like us.

 

ASHLEY

I’m sure her steak tastes just as

good on the floor.

 

TED

Laurel always said that cat’s want

to be just like us and we should

treat them as part of the family.

 

ASHLEY

(rolls her eyes)  Where’s My

rhinestone bowl Ted?

 

TED

Don’t let that little green monster

come out. (he swishes a towel at

her)  You couldn’t possibly be

jealous of a cat.

 

ASHLEY

Ted, I didn’t want to say anything,

but it’s just grose that your cat

eats off the counter.

 

TED

Annie’s paws are fully clean.

She’s a fastidious cat.

 

ASHLEY

Yes, I’ve noticed her fastidiously

licking her behind.

 

TED

Mr. Scratch on the other hand, is a

total brute.  (a chubby tabby rubs

himself against his leg)  You’re a

brute aren’t you boy? These two are

like a human couple.  She’s neat

and he’s a slob.  He kicks up

litter all around the kitty box.

 

ASHLEY

They both walk across the cat

litter box after burying their

dumps.  Then Annie walks across the

counter.  Just sayin.  It’s

disgusting. At least Mr. Scratchy

stays on the floor.   Where cats

belong.

(she turns and beckons to the cat)

Come here Mr Scratchy.  Come here

boy.  (Ginger cat approaches and

Ashley picks him up)

 

Ted’s cell phone rings with a fairy tone.  He picks up

eagerly.

 

TED

(softly) Hi Hon.  Yes, I got the

vitamins too.  No.  No, not right

now.  Oh really?  Yes.  I’ll call

you later.

 

ASHLEY

Laurel?

 

TED

Umm.  Well, yes.  (defensively)

Why?

 

ASHLEY

The cat mommy call.  How sweet.

 

TED

Listen, Laurel was really sweet to

watch the cats during our vacation.

It’s out of her way but she’s

willing to do it.

 

ASHLEY

Of course.  Why didn’t you just ask

your neighbors to come across the

hall?

 

TED

Because no one loves the cats as

much as Laurel does.

 

ASHLEY

Then why didn’t she take them when

you broke up?  Since she loves them

so much?

 

TED

Laurel said the cats would be more

content staying in their familiar

home.  She didn’t want to uproot

them.  They still miss her and

that’s why she visits.

 

ASHLEY

Right. (petting Mr. Scratchy)  Why

did Mr. Scratchy get such a lame

name?  Mr. Scratchy.  Who’s bright

idea was that? Laurels?

 

TED

Mine. (slightly insulted)  Like

Itchy and Scratchy.  I thought it

was funny.

 

A period of silence follows.

 

ASHLEY

Then shouldn’t Annie had been

called Itchy?  Or what about Homer?

He’s a homey cat.

 

TED

Laurel liked Annie and Mr.

Scratchy.

 

ASHLEY

Oh.   There was a cheerleader at my

high school named Annie.  A real

bitch.

 

TED

Well, my Annie is a little love.

Aren’t you girl?  She loves

everyone.

 

ASHLEY

I think Annie made an exception for

me.

 

TED

She’ll warm up to you.  You just

need to try harder.  Don’t worry.

 

ASHLEY

I’m not.

 

TED

(approaching Ashley he caresses her

face) Care to join me in the

shower?  This cat is feeling

frisky.

 

ASHLEY

(Smiles….considers then) No babe,

I’ll just try and bond with Annie.

If she will ever come out of

hiding.

 

As she hears Ted enter the shower she searches around for

Annie.

 

ASHLEY (CONT’D)

Annie?  Come on girl.  Come here.

Annie.  (She spots her sitting on

the bed in the spare room)

There you are!

 

Ashley lunges to grab Annie who scampers to hide under the

bed.

 

ASHLEY (CONT’D)

Come here you little shit!

 

She reaches under the bed and grabs Annie by the paw. She

grabs the cat and runs out the hall to the elevator.  Quickly

descending to the bottom floor, Ashley releases Annie into

the street.  The startled cat scampers away into the crowd

and is quickly lost.  Ashley rushes back up the elevator and

back into the apartment as Ted is drying off from the shower.

She opens the window to the spare room and pushes the screen

out slightly.  Ashley takes off her t-shirt and greets Ted in the

bedroom doorway.

 

ASHLEY (CONT’D)

Maybe I will take that shower…

 

Next morning Ted gets up to feed the cats.

 

TED

Annie?  Here Annie?  (he becomes

more frantic as he searches

everywhere for Annie)

Babe, I can’t find Annie!

 

Ashley rolls over, yawns and stretches in bed.

 

ASHLEY

Oh, she’s probably hiding somewhere

with Scratch.

 

TED

Oh yeah.  Mr Scratch.  Come on

Scratch.  Annie?  Annie!  (Ted pops

his head in the doorway.

Get up!  We’ve got to find Annie.

 

ASHLEY

I’m sure she’ll show up.  Where’s

Scratch?

 

In the other room Ted discovers the open window with the

screen loose.

 

TED

They’re both gone!

 

ASHLEY

What?! Even Scratch?  (she sits up

abruptly)

 

TED

F***!  The screen is pushed out.

They must have gotten out!  Look at

this!

 

ASHLEY

Scratch is gone?  He’s got to be

somewhere.  (she starts searching

under the beds for him)

 

Ted rushes out the door and down the elevator.  Ashley runs

to the balcony to watch him from above.  She hears Ted scream

in the street.  She sees Ted rushing towards a body of a

ginger cat on the sidewalk.

 

ASHLEY (CONT’D)

Oh my god!  Is he ok?  (she rushes

out the door to meet them

downstairs)

 

Ted emerges from the elevator with a wounded and broken Mr.

Scratch.

 

TED

He may have broken his leg but he’s

still alive. I’m going to the

emergency room.

 

ASHLEY

I’ll grab my sweater.

 

TED

(Scowls at Ashley) No.  I’m going alone.

(He dials Laurel on his cell and softly speaks into it)
Yeah.  I think he’s going going to be ok.  Annie is still missing.

Meet you at the vets. What? (his voice trails

off as he rushes out the door and down the hall)

 

Dejected, Ashley closes the door to the apartment and stares out the window.  She walks aimlessly around the condo and passes by TED’s lap top.  She notices that TED left his lap top running with his email account open…..