Life Set to Music (Part Four)

EXT. VICTORIA CHOBLOWSKI’S GRAVESIDE - DAY

Victoria’s burial is taking place. The priest finishes saying prayers and the coffin is lowered into the grave. Some of the crowd disperse. Scott, Ariel, Malcolm, Brandon and Nicolae remain. Dieter approaches Nicolae

DIETER: I’m sorry for your loss, Mr Choblowsky

Nicolae shakes Dieter’s hand but looks too upset for words

Dieter approaches Ariel

DIETER: I’m sorry Ariel. I’m sorry for letting you down

SCOTT THORNTON: She doesn’t need your pity Rosenwood

ARIEL: (in a low voice) Scott

Ariel is still upset but doesn’t have enough courage to say anything further

INT. LOCAL DINER - DAY

Five years later, Scott and Ariel revisit the Diner. Ariel is wearing sunglasses.

ARIEL: I don’t see why we have to come back here Scott

SCOTT THORNTON: Aren’t you nostalgic. This is the scene of our first date.

Dieter approaches the table

SCOTT THORNTON: Well, well, five years later and you’re still here. Why Dieter, we’re only married two years. I’ve made vice-president at the company. If there’s a bottom rung job at the plant I’ll look into it for you.

DIETER: The Hamburgers are on special today. Would you like to order them? Two for one.

Scott was silent for a moment

SCOTT THORNTON: We’ll go with the milkshakes

EXT. STREET OUTSIDE OFFICE BUILDING - MORNING

Sylvester Gordon enters an office building 

INT. ELEVATOR INSIDE OFFICE BUILDING - MORNING

Sylvester takes the elevator to the offices of Hinchley and Solomon. 

INT. RECEPTION AREA OF HINCHLEY & SOLOMON - MORNING

Sylvester waits for the receptionist to finish dealing with a forty year old man before approaching her desk.

RECEPTIONIST: May I help you?

SYLVESTER:: My name is Sylvester Gordon. I’m the new employee. I’m here to see Mr Hinchley

RECEPTIONIST: Please give me a minute. Please be seated

To his disappointment the Receptionist doesn’t immediately contact Mr Hinchley. Sylvester glances at his watch. It reads 9:01.

At 10:10am Sylvester glances at his watch again

A man enters the reception area and briefly speaks to the receptionist before addressing Sylvester

MR HORTON: Tall, dark hair, 38 years old, slim, broad, well dressed

DALE HORTON: Hello, Gordon, My name is Dale Horton, but you can call me sir

SYLVESTER: The name is Sylvester Gordon and I thought I was supposed to meet with Mr HInchley. I’m going to be a lawyer.

DALE HORTON: You’re just a junior. Why on earth would you be meeting with Mr Hinchley?

There was a brief pause

DALE HORTON: Please follow me

Mr Horton leads Sylvester down a stair case to a room with loads of dusty files.

DALE HORTON: For as long as it takes, you are going to scan these files into our online system. The files are then going to be archived offsite. Bethany will show you the ropes.

Bethany: 40 years old, dark hair, slim, reasonably attractive

Mr Horton leaves: SYLVESTER

There must be some mistake. I’m supposed to be a lawyer, not a photocopy assistant

BETHANY: Oh, you poor baby. I bet you watched Perry Mason re-runs as a kid. You think you’ll waltz into a courtroom on your first day.

SYLVESTER: I at least expected to learn the ropes.

BETHANY: This is Hinchley and Solomon, junior, not Hollywood. If you’re lucky you’ll be doing office work in six months.

SYLVESTER: Six months?

INT. LOCAL DINER - DAY

Ariel walks into the Diner a few days later and sits at the counter. Again, she is wearing sunglasses. Dieter is behind the counter

DIETER: What can I do for you Choblowsky?

ARIEL: I’ll have a coke

DIETER: One coke coming up

Dieter puts the coke on the counter with a glass and accepts payment

ARIEL: I’m sorry Dieter, for my husband’s bad behaviour

DIETER: It’s none of my business. I’m just a lowly waiter

Ariel removes her glasses to reveal a black eye.

ARIEL: I made a mistake Dieter and I’m sorry

DIETER: Like I said. It’s none of my business. I’m sure that there are plenty of people who can help you. I don’t happen to be one of them.

ARIEL: What made you so cold? You weren’t always like this.

DIETER: Maybe I met the ice queen

ARIEL:I’m leaving him.

DIETER: You should have left him five years ago

A boy hands leaflets around the Diner. They are advertising a band, known as The Whirlwinds, playing at the local pub.

ARIEL: (to the boy) I’ve never heard of them

YOUNG BOY: Dieter plays with them. They’re brutal if you ask me. But don’t tell Dieter I said that.

Dieter smiles.

DIETER

Some promoter you are.

ARIEL: 8:30. I must check this out. What kind of music do you play?

DIETER: Rock music

ARIEL: No heavy metal? What happened?

DIETER: I discovered Fleetwood Mac

ARIEL: Maybe you discovered another woman instead. What is her name?

DIETER: Holly

ARIEL: Is she prettier than me?

DIETER: With that shinner? Definitely. And she’s loyal too.

ARIEL: I’ll probably need a place to stay. Do you have any suggestions?

DIETER: I know a guy who says he has half a couch available

ARIEL: What happened to the other half?

DIETER: He has a cocker spaniel. Don’t worry, he’s house trained.

ARIEL: Thanks but I think I’ll pass

An attractive blonde woman enters the premises and approaches Dieter

HOLLY: LONG BLONDE AIR, BLUE EYES, LIGHTLY TANNED SKIN, SLIM, FIVE FOOT SEVEN INCHES TALL, WEARING SHORT TROUSERS WITH A FLORAL PATERN, BOOTS AND A PINK T-SHIRT WITH THE NAME OF A ROCKBAND ON IT

HOLLY: (TO DIETER) Hi Sugarplum

DIETER: Hi Holly. This is Ariel. You remember Ariel from High School don’t you.

HOLLY: Why yes of course. I was a year behind you (to Ariel)

ARIEL: I don’t remember...

HOLLY: Of course. I had braces, dark hair and a bit of work done since. Holly Goldstone

Ariel couldn’t recall

ARIEL: Oh yes, how could I forget

HOLLY: Sorry I’m late honey (to Dieter) I ran over a cat on my way here.

DIETER: Well now you’re here.

They make eye contact playfully with each other, smile, smile and say “you, you”

DIETER: Ariel’s looking for a place to stay. Do you know of anywhere.

HOLLY: I know a guy with half a couch.

ARIEL: Don’t worry. It’s ok. I’ll find somewhere.

HOLLY: My mother is looking to rent out a room, but she’s quite flatulent and she has a pet rat and a pet snake. Sometimes she forgets to feed them. For most people that’s a turn off.

DIETER: I thought you told me your mother moved to Canada

HOLLY: Did I?

DIETER: Several times

HOLLY: Oh

DIETER: I’d like to meet her. You told me so many things about her, like winning gold in the Olympics. And being a famous singer in her time. And working as a doctor in Africa. Where does she live?

HOLLY: Oh, well…

ARIEL: She sounds like an amazing person.

DIETER:  And she was one of the first female racing car drivers.

ARIEL: Thanks Dieter. The Coke was delicious. I must be going.

INT. SCOTT’S HOME (KITCHEN) - EVENING

Scott arrives home.

Ariel is sitting at the kitchen table with her elbows leaning on it.

ARIEL: Scott, I’ve decided I’m leaving you.

SCOTT THORNTON: Is this about last night?

ARIEL: What I didn’t tell you last night Scott was that I had a private investigator follow you for the last three weeks. He said you had affairs with three different women.

SCOTT THORNTON: And you believed him? Honey, don’t you know that there are a lot of crooked men out their who will say anything for a buck

ARIEL: He took photos

SCOTT THORNTON: Oh…. And who’s paying for this guy? Everything you have comes from me. If you leave me, you won’t get a penny. I’ll see to that.

ARIEL: I don’t want any of your rotten money

SCOTT THORNTON: And what will you do? Working part time in the launderette isn’t a solid career move. You’ll be scraping for every penny for the rest of your life.

ARIEL: I’ll think of something.

INT. LOCAL PUB - NIGHT 

Ariel goes to the concert. She buys a bottle of beer and sees Holly sitting at a table and joins her

ARIEL: Has Dieter been on already?

HOLLY: He’s on in five minutes. You missed the Hurricanes. They rock. I used to date the lead singer. And the saxophonist. I also had a fling with the drummer.

ARIEL: Thanks for sharing.

HOLLY: I also sang with them, but they said my voice was so good, I should be a soprano instead.

The MC stands on the stage and starts to speak

MC: And now, exclusively to Hammersmith Tavern, we have one of the most exciting groups on this side of the Mississippi, the Whirlwinds.

The curtain goes up. Dieter along with another bloke is playing guitar. A girl with a punk rocker hairstyle is playing drums and the lead singer is wearing mascara

He starts singing in a downbeat manner:

LEAD SINGER: My life is empty, all I have is ten bucks twenty, my life is empty, Others have plenty, Why do you date him and not me? Why are you so blind to see? You are the centre of my universe, But the more I think of you I feel worse. My life is empty, All I have is six bucks twenty. This coke cost four dollars, I’ll never be one of those scholars. My life is empty.

The band continued to sing five more songs, each more depressing than the other.

At the end the applause was underwhelming

Dieter joined Holly and Ariel

DIETER: So what did you think?

ARIEL: I think you’re definitely improving

DIETER: The lead singer wants to go solo. He says he has loads of offers

ARIEL: I can see why. Say you could always put Holly on vocals

DIETER: I don’t think that’s a good idea

HOLLY: Why not?

DIETER: Because you have a soprano’s voice. It’s not suited to a rock band.

ARIEL: The lead singer seems like an interesting guy

DIETER: His real name is Doug Robinson, but he calls himself Jughead now.

INT. ARIEL’S NEW APARTMENT - EVENING

Ariel arrives home to her one bedroom apartment. She notices a large leak in the roof and phones her landlord about it.

ARIEL: Mr Cottager, it’s Ariel, there’s a leak in my roof with water dripping from it..

MR COTTAGER: Don’t worry Thornton. I’ll send somebody around to look into it

ARIEL: Mr Cottager that’s what you said last week and the week before. It’s getting worse all the time.

MR COTTAGER: Thornton, I have someone else on the other line. It’s important. I have to take it.

He hangs up

Ariel moves the couch further away from the leak and sits down dejectedly. Suddenly, the couch falls apart as if it had been delicately held together.

Ariel hears a ring from the door of the apartment. It’s Jock Thornton, Scott’s Father.

JOCK THORNTON: May i come in?

ARIEL: Well, don’t expect the Ritz

JOCK THORNTON: Ariel, I’d like to talk about yourself and Scott

ARIEL: That’s going to be a sort conversation.

JOCK THORNTON: Where can I sit?

ARIEL: That armchair has wood worm. I’ll get one from the kitchen

Ariel retrieves a chair from the kitchen and places it in the living room.

JOCK THORNTON: Scott loves you. He cares about you and I think that you’ve been great for him. I think you’re being to hasty.

ARIEL: He hit me more than once and he cheated on me multiple times.

JOCK THORNTON: Well, I doubt that’s true Ariel. Can’t you give him another chance.

ARIEL: Even if I did want to, I don’t see why he shouldn’t be the one coming here on his hands and knees

Jock looks around the apartment

JOCK THORNTON: This is no way to live Ariel. Josh gave you a comfortable life. Don’t you miss that. He told me himself that he wants you back. He has political ambitions. He needs a strong woman by his side.

ARIEL: He can stuff his political ambitions up his backside for all I care.

JOCK THORNTON: You do realise that if you go through with the divorce, Scott will leave you with nothing. I’m looking out for you Ariel. I’m thinking of you.

ARIEL: I don’t want your money Jock or Scott’s money for that matter. I really don’t know why I married him. I’d rather prepare dinner than carry on with this conversation.