For Writercizes Final Week Exercise
Cut and paste this text into your screenwriting software. Some reformatting will be necessary. Then send your rewrite to us at [email protected] by midnight Pacific time Monday June 15th.
INT. APARTMENT – NIGHT
Daniel starts to walk in through the door of the apartment. He is sweating and looks nervous. He closes the door behind him. He pulls a little box out of his pocket. He opens the box. There’s an engagement ring inside. He hears someone vomiting. The sound is coming from the bathroom door. He walks over to the bathroom door. He listens on the door. Someone is still vomiting. The vomiting stops. Daniel begins to knock on the door.
DANIEL
Maya, it’s me. Daniel. Are you okay?
MAYA
No, I’m not okay. I feel ill.
DANIEL
Do you want me to call a doctor?
MAYA
No.
Daniel is hearing the sound of running water and the brushing of teeth. He begins to look at the box again, thinking Oh my God, I don’t know what to do. I am too insecure. He starts to put the box again into his pants pocket which he removed the ring box from a minute ago. Maya is walking out of the bathroom. She doesn’t look like she feels good.
DANIEL
Are you sick?
MAYA
I don’t want to have dinner with my parents. That is why I feel this way. As you know, this is the first time you are going to meet my parents and I just know it’s not going to go well.
DANIEL
Yeah, I was thinking about that, too. And I have to say it really worries me because I really want this to go well.
MAYA
Me, too. But I just know it won’t.
DANIEL
It’s because of their veganism, isn’t it?
MAYA
How can I tell them that I’m dating a butcher?
DANIEL
As you know, we’ve been dating for almost a year now, and I think it’s time–
He is beginning to put his hand into his back pocket.
MAYA
I know it’s time for you to meet my parents. But they’re founding members of PETA. I can’t look them in the eye and tell them the truth. They’d disinherit me.
DANIEL
We can tell them I’m a vegan butcher.
MAYA
Meet Daniel, he slaughters eggplants for a living. I don’t think this is going to work. I just don’t think this is going to work. I just can’t face tonight.
DANIEL
We can make an excuse.
MAYA
No, I mean, I don’t think this is going to work between us. I’m sorry, Daniel. I’m not strong.
DANIEL
Don’t say that.
MAYA
I wish I was stronger. I wish I was able to take on the world. I wish I could stand on my own two feet. But if my parents wouldn’t pay my rent I’d have nowhere to live.
DANIEL
I understand. I’m a millennial, too.
MAYA
And how, oh how, could I disappoint them like this? When I first left home, they slept in their car in the parking lot in front of my dorm. They’ve always been there for me.
DANIEL
Maya, I am willing to change my profession for you.
MAYA
You are?
DANIEL
I could become a… baker.
MAYA
But, Daniel, what about the eggs? Oh, oh, oh, this will never work. We are too diametrically opposed to each other.
DANIEL
Maya, I can’t accept that. We can’t just be ships passing in the night. We need to be each other’s safe harbor.
Daniel is slowly getting down on to the floor so he can kneel down. He begins to pull the ring box out of his back pocket in his pants.
DANIEL (CONT’D)
This is an engagement ring. Maya, will you marry me?
MAYA
Oh, my God!
DANIEL
Please.
MAYA
I don’t know what to say. Oh, the dilemma. Oh, I feel sick.
She begins to run into the bathroom and then she is slamming the door. Daniel begins to hear the sounds of vomiting again.
DANIEL
I’ll just wait out here until you’ve had a chance to think about our future and make a decision. Take your time. I can make an appointment with a career counselor while you’re thinking. And when you’re done vomiting and thinking, then we can continue this conversation.
He hears even more vomiting.
DANIEL (CONT’D)
I could go into vegan meats. They are a big thing now. Did you know that they have vegan meat? They make this vegan meat out of things like mung beans.
He hears even more vomiting.
DANIEL (CONT’D)
Okay, I’ll let you vomit in peace. I’ll be out here. Beefing up on vegan meets. Beefing up. Get it?
There is no response.
Daniel is putting the ring box next to the bathroom door and begins to walk away.
THE END
