Sample Script - One July Night

Scene One

(Setting: Violet's cafe, Friday morning)

(Ben is seated at a round table at C, having coffee. He picks his teeth with a match cover while he stares at his reflection in the silver napkin dispenser. There is an empty table R. There are three chairs at each table. There is a counter at L with a phone, cash register, and coffee burner. There is a window at R.)

(Frank enters R.)

Ben: Morning, Frank.

Frank: (sitting down at the table at C) Morning, Ben.

Ben: Get any rain last night, Frank?

Frank: Oh, about two tenths.

Ben: Two tenths! I got half an inch! My land is already so wet I can't spray. How'd you get so lucky?

Frank: Just clean living, I guess.

(Sophie enters L, picking up the coffee pot and a mug from the burner on the counter.)

Sophie: Coffee, fellas?

(Blackout except for spotlight. Ben, Sophie, and Frank freeze.)

(Music: Twilight Zone)

(Narrator enters R.)

Narrator: Picture this. A small town in Southeast Saskatchewan on a Friday morning. Everything appears perfectly normal. Crop prices are low, machinery prices are high, effective government aid packages are nonexistant. Yes, to all appearances, it's just an ordinary morning. Little do the residents of Flatdale realize that things are about to change. There are forces at work here which no one can comprehend -- forces of such magnitude that it will take the intervention of an alien lifeforce to preserve existance as we know it
on Planet Earth.

(Narrator exits R. Characters unfreeze.)

Ben: Thank you, Sophie. I could sure use a second cup. (holds up his cup) Yer coffee
tastes better when you're pouring it. (smiles sweetly)

Sophie: (pouring) What's got into you today, Ben? Have you been taking viagra or
something? It's your third refill, Ben. Your compliments won't help me forget when it's time to pay up.

Ben: (looking surprised) Are you sure about that, my sweet Sophie?

Sophie: As sure as manure stinks. What about you, Frank?

Frank: Just one, Sophie. Doctor says I have to cut back on my caffeine intake. It's aggravating my (points to his sternum) -- hyatal hernia.

Ben: Yer what?

(Sophie puts the coffee pot back on the burner. She then exits L. Alpha enters R and surveys the cafe carefully before sitting at the table at R.)

Frank: (proudly) My hyatal hernia.

Ben: Since when do you have one of those?

Frank: Since I went to see Doctor Ziegal on Thursday about my gout.

Ben: Well, Frank, you are walking medical casebook. There's always something wrong with you. If its not yer high blood pressure, its yer high cholesterol. And now you've got a hyatal hernia.

Frank: I know. Comes from the stress of being the reeve of our RM. I have to attend
to the all the needs of my ratepayers in these difficult times. (sighing) But -- the rewards are great. I have the satisfaction of knowing that the roads are graded, the snow is cleared, and the rats are under control. Then there's the constant worry of whether or not I'll be re-elected --

Ben: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you keep telling us. Say -- did you see the way Sophie looked at me this morning, Frank? I think she's finally starting to like me.

Frank: Ben, you've been buttering up to Sophie for most of a year. Don't you know yet?
(speaking slowly) Sophie doesn't like anyone.

Ben: Yer right. I might have better luck with Violet.

Frank: (surprised) Violet's not interested in getting married again, you know that. Not
after the way her husband left her high and dry two years ago. Why she's been lucky to make a go of it -- running this hotel and cafe all by herself.

Ben: Violet might enjoy some male companionship for change. And after all I am Flatdale's most eligible bachelor.

(Violet enters L and noticing Alpha, picks up a coffee pot, cup, and a menu.)

Ben: Morning, Violet.

Violet: Morning, Ben -- Frank.

Ben: Say, Violet, there's a singles dance in town tonight. Would you like to go with me?

Violet: I don't think so, Ben. (hands Alpha the menu and fills his cup)

Ben: Won't you just think about it for a while, Violet? I've been screwing up my courage
all week to ask you. (elbows Frank)

Violet: (sighing) All right -- I'll think about it, Ben.

(Ralph enters R, looking grumpy.)

Ben: Morning, Ralph!

Ralph: (barely audible) Mmmmmmmph. (sits down at the table)

Frank: Did you get any rain last night, Ralph?

Ralph: An inch.

Frank: An inch, you say? Ben here got half an inch, and I got two tenths.

Ralph: (jealously) Two tenths! Is that all?

Frank: Yep, those clouds just passed right over my land and moved right over to your
place, Ralph.
           .
(Violet takes Alpha's order, picks up the coffee pot, and walks across to C)

Violet: You want breakfast this morning, Ralph? (picks up a cup off the counter)

Ralph: No time for eating today, Violet. I've got things to do. Just coffee.

Ben: Speaking of doing things -- have you thought enough about going to the dance?

Violet: (delaying) I really don't think I can make it, Ben. Sorry to disappoint you. I'll just
go help Sophie in the kitchen.

(Violet puts back the coffee pot and exits L.)

Frank: Looks like another crash and burn, Ben.

Ben: Well, I'm not giving up. I hate to give up my swinging single status, but Violet
deserves me. I'll just lie in the weeds and bide my time.

(Frank and Ralph stare at one another.)

Ralph: Good idea.

Frank: What kind of things are you up to today, Ralph? Anything your reeve can help
you with?

Ralph:   I was thinking about doing some spraying if the wind dies down.

Frank: Isn't it pretty wet for spraying, Ralph? Aren't you just going to bury your tractor
again?

Ralph: Mmmmmph.

Frank:   I think it's supposed to rain again tonight. Weather channel showed there'd be a good chance of thundershowers.

Ben: (significantly) Let's hope it doesn't hail.

Ralph: Hail! (looks depressed . . .