Dead Crush
By: Nelson Vessey
Tags: Coffee, Movies, Love, Amazon, Baseball

Photo by Daniel Norris on Unsplash

DEAD CRUSH

SCENE ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. AN UPSCALE MINI-MALL IN NORTH SEATTLE — DAY

INT. BLACKFISH, A POPULAR COFFEEHOUSE IN A NORTH END SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD, PRESENT DAY.Blackfish is new and stylish. They offer twenty-four different coffee drinks, have multiple window cabinets full of snacks and sweets. It is late October and the customers have arrived from a Husky game that finished an hour ago.

JACK PARKER is waiting patiently in the Blackfish order line.

MAUREEN is sitting at a table by the front window, waiting for Jack.

Maureen’s POV: She is watching Jack move along with the crowd. There are two women in front of him and he is carefully maintaining a four-foot distance.

CLOSE IN: Maureen is watching Jack closely, her eyes unblinking.

A tall, nervous woman with an unusual facial tick is crowding Jack.

NERVOUS WOMAN

The line is moving, kid. No gaps.

Jack looks over his shoulder but says nothing. He shuffles forward, attempting to lessen the gap enough to suit the nervous woman.

We see a woman exit the restroom and join her friends in front of jack.

The new arrival turns to jack and smiles.

NEW ARRIVAL

I hope you don’t mind me cutting in front. I couldn’t

wait any longer and Suzy offered to hold my place.

Jack is stunned when he sees her up close for the first time. He stares, dumbfounded. He says nothing.

Suzy turns around and smirks.

SUZY

That’s right. I got tired of watching Sofie dance

without music.

JACK

No worries. I saw nothing.

SOFIE

You’re a peach. I wouldn’t cut in, but if I don’t

I won’t be able to eat with my friends.

JACK (CALM, REASSURING)

Most people don’t apologize.

Sofie looks over her shoulder, flashes a perfect smile, then joins her friends.

INT. Table where Jack’s friend is waiting.

Maureen has thrown her jacket over the empty chair next to her and has been glaring at anyone who comes to sit. She even moved the two extra chairs to a nearby table.

SCENE TWO

Jack successfully survives the ordering gauntlet and joins Maureen.

JACK

One macchiato and a chocolate croissant. You got

the last one.

MAUREEN

Good boy. I’m nothing if I don’t get my chocolate every

day. Took you long enough.

JACK

There was a line.

MAUREEN

You didn’t seem to mind.

Maureen eats the croissant too fast. She puts it on the plate and shoves it aside. We can see she is ill at ease.

JACK

I smell an implication.

MAUREEN

You made a new friend?

JACK

I was being friendly. Nothing more.

MAUREEN

Really? Seemed like a lot more to me.

JACK

Don’t start. It’s not what you think.

MAUREEN

Bullshit. You’re in denial.

JACK

Whatever.

MAUREEN

It’s her again, isn’t it?

JACK

Stop.

MAUREEN

Your dead crush.

JACK (CASUAL)

I hardly noticed.

MAUREEN

I saw you glance at her table as you walked

over here.

JACK

Only you would notice.

MAUREEN

Go ahead. Admit it.

JACK

You already know.

MAUREEN

How close?

Jack shakes his head and sighs in defeat.

JACK

Dead ringer, dead crush.

MAUREEN

That good?

JACK

Impossible, but yes.

MAUREEN

I gotta see this.

JACK

Don’t be obvious.

Maureen rises from her chair and walks nonchalantly to Sophie’s table. she leans over and smiles at sofie.

MAUREEN

Don’t worry, we’re just friends.

SOPHIE

Good to know. Thanks.

MAUREEN

Good Luck.

SCENE THREE

Jack’s POV: Maureen stops at the table and says something to Sofie. Maureen nods, then Sofie points back at Jack and they both laugh. Finished, Maureen stands up and walks toward the restroom.

Jack continues to cast furtive glances at Sofie’s table. He watches a sad-faced clown in street shoes standing in line, entertaining the crowd with his juggling skills. The clown suddenly looks at Jack and winks.

Jack is unnerved by the sudden attention. He looks away and drinks his coffee as he checks his Facebook page.

Sophie walks up to the table and taps Jack on his shoulder.

SOPHIE

Has anyone ever told you that you’re a dead ringer for Joe DiMaggio?

Jack is momentarily frozen. He leans back to get a better look.

JACK

You a Yankees fan?

SOPHIE

No. I like old movies.

JACK

How old?

SOPHIE

Fifties and Sixties.

JACK

They still have those?

SOPHIE

When they can find them.

JACK

Joe was a baseball player, not a movie star.

SOPHIE

He was married to one.

JACK

Got me there. And you could be Mrs.

DiMaggio.

SOPHIE (seductively)

I think this, is Kismet.

JACK (exaggerated emphasis)

You too?

SOPHIE

Dead crush?

JACK

You don’t sound like her.

SOPHIE

I’m not trying.

JACK

Could you?

SOPHIE

I doubt you could score at least one hit in 56

consecutive games and maintain a .408 batting average.

JACK

You really do like him.

SOPHIE

I don’t kiss and tell.

JACK

I don’t mind, if you don’t.

SOPHIE

What about your friend?

JACK

She’s just that.

SOPHIE

Good. I don’t like complications.

Sophie bends over and puts a note in his hand. She whispers into his ear.

SOPHIE

Call me later.

POV: Focused on the exit door.

Jack smiles and stuffs the note in his pocket. He watches Sophie and her friends collect their purses and coats as they head for the door. He does not avert his gaze, and when she throws a quick glance toward him just before she passes through the door, she grins.

Jack nods and continues to watch the door.

POV: close up of table.

Maureen returns, plops down on her chaiTheirr, and puts both elbows on the table, then, she closes her fists, brings them together, and rests her chin on the heel of each palm.

MAUREEN

Something happen while I was gone?

JACK

Maybe. What did you say to her?

MAUREEN

I said I didn’t own you. Now spill it, Parker.

JACK

You didn’t!

MAUREEN

Got her attention. Go on.

Jack

She left a note.

Maureen raises and eyebrow, elevates her chin and looks down her nose.

MAUREEN

This sounds too easy. Women don’t walk up and give

notes to strangers.

JACK

And whisper in their ears?

MAUREEN

You’re kidding.

JACK

From my mouth to God’s ears.

MAUREEN

Probably a hooker.

JACK

She thinks I look like Joe DiMaggio.

MAUREEN

Really? I doubt you could hit 56…

JACK

I get it.

Maureen purses her lips and looks directly at Jack.

MAUREEN

I’ve been on this train before. You’re carrying a torch

for a woman that has been dead for almost sixty years.

JACK

I’m not an ageist and I’m willing to accept a reasonable facsimile.

JACK’S POV: Maureen is acting strange. She has a concerned look on her face, and she seems upset. She puts on her jacket, pulls the sides together and crosses her arms across her chest.

MAUREEN

You know, Joe was bigger than you. Six foot three, which was taller then, man to man, than it is now. Almost two hundred pounds. Big shoes to fill.

JACK

So what? Monroe had a better nose.

MAUREEN

She had work done. Nose surgery, and hairline electrolysis to hide her widow’s peak. Cartilage implant to her chin. Your friend may be thinking of doing the same. Unstable personality obsessed with a famous person.

A frown surfaces on Jack’s face. He stares at Maureen for a long moment, saying nothing. Maureen looks down at the table, begins fiddling with her cup.

JACK

You afraid I might get lucky?

MAUREEN

No, Jack. I’m afraid you might get hurt.

SCENE FOUR