The Spirit of Thanksgiving

FADE IN:

INT. LOG CABIN. PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS - THANKSGIVING DAY

A FAMILY of six are gathered around the dining table adorned with the cornucopia of Thanksgiving dinner.

Anticipant as the grandfather clock CHIMES three o'clock,

MOTHER
He'll be here.

FATHER
He's late, Dorah.

DORAH
We won't start without him, Luther.

LUTHER
(firmly)
He'd be the first to understand.

As Luther begins carving the turkey, Dorah lets out a SIGH. Their DAUGHTER clasps her hand reassuringly.

DAUGHTER
He's been here every Thanksgiving, dad.

Luther stops carving with the KNOCK at the door.

GRANDSON
He's here!

He and his sister run out of the dining room and return holding the hands of Native American, MASSASOIT.

All surround him excitedly and guide him to his place at the table.

GRANDDAUGHTER
We saved your chair, Great Sachem.

Massasoit nods, smiling. As he sits, he retrieves the ceremonial pipe from his pouch, then lights it. After inhaling, he passes it to Luther who then passes it to Dorah. She respectfully inhales and returns it to Massasoit.

After snuffing the pipe, Massasoit sets it adjacent to his place setting. Ritualistically, each extends and holds the other's hand, heads bowed.

DORAH
We give thanks today for Your eternal bounty.

ALL
(in unison)
Amen.

MASSASOIT
Aho.

FADE TO BLACK

Happy Thanksgiving!

**written by petra michelle (11/21/00)**

http://petramichelle.blogspot.com

GODIVAS - Tribute to Coco Chanel

FADE IN:

INT. MILLINERY SHOP. EARLY 1900's PARIS - DAY

In the workroom of her shop, COCO CHANEL painstakingly creates an evening gown by hand; each stitch a labor of love. Her ASSISTANT appears.

ASSISTANT
A very important patron is here to see you.

Coco abandons the gown to tend to this mysterious patron. As she approaches a lovely NOBLEWOMAN,

COCO
Ah, Madam Godiva. Bonjour. How may I assist you?

LADY GODIVA
(fully clothed)
Bonjour Coco. I need something very different for a special occasion.

COCO
Of course. What is the occasion? A ball, the theatre...

LADY GODIVA
I'm to ride on a horse naked through the marketplace of my realm...
for a very worthy cause of course.

COCO
(taken aback)
To be naked, it must be.

LADY GODIVA
Isn't it wicked?

COCO
(shakes her head)
But Madam, I clothe, not unclothe.

LADY GODIVA
There must be something you can do.

Coco ponders her dilemma earnestly and sincerely. Her glance falls on a stack of pretty boxes. She rushes to the stack, scoops up a box, then returns.

COCO
May I make a suggestion?

LADY GODIVA
Yes, of course.

COCO
Give these to the people as you ride passed. You will have pleased those you shock.

LADY GODIVA
(perplexed)
With chocolates?

COCO
Godivas, Madam. You will be the crown jewel.

LADY GODIVA
Yes, I see. I shall be as tempting as chocolate.

COCO
Champagne to celebrate?

LADY GODIVA
Thank you.

As they sip champagne and share another box of Godivas,

COCO
Madam, may I ask? What is this cause?

LADY GODIVA
To lower my people's taxes.

COCO
(nods)
A very noble cause. But why naked?

LADY GODIVA
It was my husband's idea. He said he would lower them if I rode...

COCO
Your husband.
(reaches behind her)
Here's another box of Godivas, just for him.

FADE TO BLACK

**written by petra michelle, 9/19/08**

http://petramichelle.blogspot.com

JACK AND JILL - Encore presentation

FADE IN:

EXT. FOOT OF HILL - DAY

JACK and JILL climbed up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown...
Lying on the grass, distorted images of trees beneath the sky come into view as Jack slowly opens his eyes.

JILL
Jack, can you hear me?

Gingerly touching his bruised head, Jack sits up.

JACK
What happened?

JILL
You broke your crown again.

JACK
My crown? I do not wear a crown.

Studying his clothing, then feeling his face,

JACK
Where's my mask? And my cape?

JILL
Mask? Cape? That was some fall, Jack.

JACK
Have we had the pleasure of meeting, Senorita?

JILL
Well, we've only climbed that hill fetching water
together for what seems like an eternity.

JACK
Fetch water? Me?

JILL
Jack...

JACK
And why do you insist on calling me Jack? I am
Don Juan deMarco.

JILL
Who?

As he stands upright,

JACK
The greatest lover in the world.

JILL
(rolling her eyes)
If we don't fetch the water, we'll be sacked. Not
now, of all times.

JACK
My dear Senorita. You must not fret.

JILL
It takes more than love to pay the bills.

JACK
So young and so cynical. Do not underestimate
the power of love. And, it just so happens--I am rich.

JILL
And where, prey tell, is the money?

JACK
On the other side of the hill.

JILL
Fine. Let's go.

Jack and Jill climbed up the hill to fetch deMarco's money. Jack fell down and broke his crown... Moaning, Jack lies in a stupor.

JILL
Jack?
(no answer)
Mr. deMarco?

JACK
Who?

JILL
James Bond.

JACK
No.

JILL
Robin Hood.

JACK
No.

Jill guides him over the hill by the hand. As they disappear,

JILL (OS)
The King of England.

JACK (OS)
Yes. Yes. Yes.

FADE TO BLACK

**written by petra michelle, 3/21/09**

http://petramichelle.blogspot.com/

Take Me Out To the Ball Game - An Encore Presentation (Based upon when I snuck into Yankee Stadium, 1976)

And the winners are:
Marge - six way tie:
    Petra Michelle, Meryl Streep, Judi Dench,
    Jennifer Aniston, Annette Bening, Other
Thank you for voting!

FADE IN:

INT. MODEST HOME.1970's QUEENS, NEW YORK - DAY

A mature COUPLE are washing and putting the breakfast dishes away.

HUSBAND
Baseball season's finally here.

As he walks into the living room to turn on the television,

WIFE
(excitedly)
Why don't we go?

HUSBAND
Not today, Marge. This couch feels too good.
(patting her hand)
Another weekend.

As she faces him on the couch,

MARGE
It's such a beautiful day, Ralph.

Her face brightens up.

MARGE
Is it easy to find the stadium by train?

RALPH
The M train stops right there. Why?

Marge leaps up and disappears into the bedroom.

MARGE (OS)
I'm going.

RALPH
By yourself?

Putting on a light jacket when she returns,

MARGE
If I can survive the birth of three beautiful
children, I can manage a train to the Bronx.

RALPH
I don't know, Marge.

After pecking him on the cheek,

MARGE
I'll call when I get there.

EXT./INT. EL TRAIN STATION - DAY

Ecstatically inhaling the sunny April day, Marge climbs up the stairs to the platform of the station.

When the train arrives, she makes herself comfortable, knitting. At the changeover, she reconsiders, then shoves her knitting into its bag, rises, and joins the THRONGS onto the M train.

INT./EXT. M TRAIN - DAY

Crowded as rush hour, Marge finds and grasps the pole in the center of the compartment, unsteady as the train. When the Stadium comes into view, the compartment quickly empties, she following the enthusiastic FANS down the stairs and onto the sidewalk.

EXT. STADIUM - DAY

Marge grins at the Stadium, then rushes to the box office and patiently waits her turn.

ATTENDANT
Next.

MARGE
One adult ticket please, young man.
Oh, and are there senior discounts?

ATTENDANT
Sorry, the game's sold out.

MARGE
But I've come all the way from Queens.

ATTENDANT
Next!

Disheartened, Marge slowly heads back towards the station. She observes a COUPLE with two CHILDREN waiting on line to enter the stadium.

Excusing herself ever so endearingly and politely to those she cuts in front of, she discreetly joins the family as they pass through the turnstile. She feels a tap on her shoulder.

TICKET COLLECTOR
Ticket, please.

MARGE
Oh, I'm with them.

INT. STADIUM - DAY

As he turns to "them," Marge runs into the heart of the stadium, blending in with the crowds. She begins to panic, watching for security, or worse yet, the police.
Rushing to the telephones, she fumbles for her change purse. She finds, then drops her change. Hands trembling, she picks up the coins and manages to dial.

MARGE
Hurry, Ralph!

RALPH (OS)
Hello?

MARGE
Ralph, I'm going to jail!

RALPH (OS)
What?

MARGE
(glancing around)
They're looking for me now!

RALPH (OS)
What are you talking about?

MARGE
I snuck into Yankee Stadium!

RALPH (OS)
Wail til the boys hear about this!

MARGE
Oh no!

RALPH (OS)
Relax, Marge. Find a seat and enjoy the game.

MARGE
Relax? Enjoy?

RALPH (OS)
Trust me. You're in now. No one is going to bother you.
I'll order some Chinese to celebrate.

Disbelievingly, she peers at the DIAL TONE. She cautiously follows the fans as they make their way to the stands.

EXT. STANDS - DAY

Marge stops abruptly and shakes her head at the half-full stadium. She zooms in on available seats behind third base, buys a box of Cracker Jacks and a diet coke, then rushes to the unclaimed seat placing her snacks on it. She stands and CLAPS when the teams take to the field.

At the tap on her shoulder, she freezes. From the corner of her eye, she notices handcuffs in an outstretched hand.

FAN
You dropped your Cracker Jack's prize, Ma'am.

LAUGHING with relief, she manages a...

MARGE
Thank you, dear.

...and enjoys the ball game, with only an occasional glance over her shoulder.

FADE TO BLACK

**written by petra michelle (4/5/09)**

http://petramichelle.blogspot.com/

 

THE TELEPHONE NUMBER - An Encore Presentation

And the winners are:
Mike - Paul Rudd (100%)
Danielle - Five way tie:
      Elizabeth Olsen, Scarlett Johannson, Rachel McAdams,
      Eliza Gonzalez, Evan Rachel Wood
Thank you for voting!

FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM. APARTMENT - NIGHT

MIKE frantically fingers the contents of his wallet.

MIKE
Where is that business card?

He holds his wallet upside down, watching the waterfall of its contents cascade to his unmade bed.

MIKE
It was blue.

For the next half hour he inspects each item, discarding the unnecessary. Still, no blue business card. Despondent, he falls onto his bed; the loss of the card summing up his chaotic life.

MIKE
Think, Mike. Think.

He closes his eyes and concentrates. The first three numbers lept before him as he'd studied her telephone number countless times. But the last four...as a child repeats the alphabet to reach an elusive letter, so he tried with numbers.

MIKE
One, two, three... Three!

Scrambling for a notepad, he proceeds until seven digits stared back at him; the telephone number he could swear he'd had all along. His digital clock blares eleven o'clock.

MIKE
It's pretty late.
(pumping himself)
It's now or never!

As he dials, he visualizes the tall, slender blonde in her slinky, red dress, flirting over a martini.

MIKE
But I'm not in her league.

While the phone rings, he reminds himself that he wasn't half bad looking, and women even commented on how his glasses made him look just as adorable as Clark Kent.

MIKE
Just as clumsy, too.

A woman answers the phone.

WOMAN (OFFSCREEN)
Hello?

MIKE
Hello? Danielle?

DANIELLE (OS)
Yes?

MIKE
Um. This is Mike. You may not remember...

DANIELLE (OS)
(surprised)
I didn't think you'd ever call, Mike.

MIKE
(spirits soaring)
Would you like to go out for dinner?
You would? I mean, Saturday? Seven thirty?
Sure, I know where it is. Terrific! See you
then. Good night, Danielle.

He dances victoriously around the bedroom, then collapses onto his bed, soon falling asleep.

SEVERAL DAYS LATER

Mike rushes haphazardly, changing his Hanes underwear at least a dozen times. He would be late if he didn't step up his already frenetic pace.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Mike follows the maitre d' who escorts him to a cozy table in the dimly lit corner at which sits a lovely, bespectacled young woman.

DANIELLE
(adjusting her glasses)
Mike?

MIKE
(mimics her)
Danielle?

While the excitement and anticipation hisses from his ego, Danielle grins.

DANIELLE
Seems there's been a little mistake.

Her embracing smile emphasizes her gentleness and sweet face.

DANIELLE
It doesn't mean we can't make the best of it.
What do you think?

MIKE
(grins sheepishly)
Sure.

After ordering, then pouring the wine, he slowly shares what had happened. Danielle's LAUGHTER, both comforting and lilting, eases his self-consciousness. The hours fly by. When they realize they're the last couple in the restaurant, they exchange warm glances.

MIKE
I'd love to see you again.

DANIELLE
I would too, Mike, but under one condition.

MIKE
What's that?

DANIELLE
(holding his hands)
You give me your telephone number.

MIKE
(chuckles)
Agreed.

INT./EXT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

As they walk into the crisp spring night, DANIELLE's tresses bounce in sync with Mike's newfound spring in his step.

MIKE
(to himself, glancing at the stars)
Am I glad I lost that business card!

FADE TO BLACK

**written by petra michelle (2/16/08)**

http://petramichelle.blogspot.com/