Stage a Scene

emily (u.s.a.)

[Writing experiment]

I decided to ‘Stage a Scene’ from part of my book. I'm incorporating Julie Andrews' mossy voice, which I think lightens it up a bit. This was harder than I imagined, and it's in a rough unedited place. But it was fun!

INT. 80’s HOUSE - MORNING (AUTUMN)
We see a little girl about 5yo with mousy hair in her underpants, standing on the side of her twin bed. Her bare feet nestled in the orange shag carpet.
An autumn sun is glowing through the metallic blinds.

Annie:
Sneers down at the slightly faded pants and scuffed shoes placed on her bed.

Mother:
(mid-30’s with perfectly coiffed brunette hair) Enters the room with annoyance and frustration. Grabbing the pants off the bed and holding them out in front of Annie.
(Exhaustively)
“Put these on. We’re going to be late.”

Annie: (Insolently)
“But these are Nicole’s, not mine. I want new pants like she got.”

Mother: (Frustrated)
“These ARE new clothes. Your new clothes. You’ve never worn these before! See?”
She shakes the violet courdroy pants out. Dust hurtles from the frayed inseam.

Annie:
“They’re not new. Nic worned these last year.”

Mother:
“She wore them, dear. Worned is not a word. And if you don’t hurry up and put these on, you’ll be late for school, where you’ll learn proper vocabulary.”
She exits the little girls’ shared room, hurrying to tend to a fussy toddler.

Nicole:
(Sister, 8yo, blond)
(Snickering)
“Listen to mom. Or she’ll tell Dad, and you’ll get spanked,”
She slings her pristine Cabbage Patch Kids backpack over her shoulder while posing in front of the mirror.

FADE TO MONTAGE:
Julie Andrews (VO):
“Oh, the spankings. They seemed to be nonstop. It was the early 80s, after all, - the conservative Presbyterian 80s in this household - and spankings were part of the rhythm here. Prim and proper, people-pleasing, and polite were the rules.
Every time the wooden paddle was brought out, the little girl would quip, ‘You’re child abusing me!’ which only made her father purse his lips, holding back laughter.
CONT. (VO)
Her father and mother had no clue where she heard that ludicrous expression, probably on the evening news with Peter Jennings. Nonetheless, her father didn’t believe it was wrong to spank a child for being disagreeable or talking back to authority. Children should behave, never question, and never speak out of line. But Annie was stubborn and inquisitive. She always covered her bum with her hands when she saw the fraternity paddle make an appearance. And every time, her father would say, “It will only hurt more if you do that. Move. Your. Hands. Now.”

FADE OUT

FADE IN: INT. KITCHEN - PEA GREEN HUED - 80’s APPLIANCES
Pan to the Mother grabbing her keys off the laminate faux wood countertop.
“Are you girls ready yet?! I’m putting your brother in the car; grab your lunch on the counter and GET OUT HERE!”

INT. GIRLS’ BEDROOM

Nicole:
Skips out of the room humming.

Annie:
Hurries to put on the corduroy pants and a pair of dingy red leather Smurf lace-ups.
Struggling, she grabs the waist of the pants and tugs outward, revealing a large gap between the waist and her body.

CUT TO:
Annie:
(Huffing)
Panicky, she tucks a one-size-too-large pilled pink turtleneck sweater into the waist of her pants.

CUT TO:
Annie:
Bent over, lacing her shoes.
The pants cinch down, revealing Annie’s Wonder Woman underpants.
‘’Oh my god, oh my god.’’
She begins to cry and straightens up.
She stares down at the orange shag carpet. Takes a deep breath in, wipes snot and tears with the sweater sleeve, bends back over, and finishes lacing her shoes.

CUT TO:
Annie:
Stumbling through the house. As she passes through the kitchen, she grabs a rusted Miss Piggy lunch box and shuffles out to the garage.

INT. GARAGE

Mother:
“Well, now, don’t you look nice!” (forcing a smile).
“See, brand new! You look lovely, dear. Now get in and buckle up.”

INT. CAR

JULIE ANDREWS (VO):
“Annie had never had anything ’Brand new.'

ANNIE:
(Angry)
Scoots into the middle seat.
Annoyedly, she turns to look at the toddler in the seat behind their mother. Then looks to her sister, Nicole, on her other side.

Nicole:
Noticing her little sister looking at her with disgust and envy.
“When you’re older, you might be able to sit by the window.” (Taunting)

Julie Andrews (VO):
“Life was never fair in the mind of Annie. Nicole was the oldest, the first child, the first girl, the hallelujah at the beginning of a book. Her brother, James, was the youngest, the first boy, the only boy, the cherished son, the amen at the end of a prayer. She, Annie, was the second child, the second girl, the middle child, the complicated verse.”

EXT. DRIVEWAY
The tan Pontiac Grand Am pulls out of the driveway as the sun crests the top of their suburban ranch-style home. The car shifts into drive and casually heads down the long, narrow road.

FADE TO BLACK