Beginnings: SCENE TWO

EXTERIOR CLINIC PARKING LOT — DAY

A PET FOOD DELIVERY TRUCK DRIVES INTO THE CLINIC PARKING LOT. THE DRIVER’S DOOR OPENS. (BEAT) ROCKO TROY STEPS OUT OF THE DRIVER’S SEAT TO STAND ON THE RUNNING BOARD. HE LOOKS AT HIMSELF IN THE BIG REAR-VIEW MIRROR: SMOOTHES HIS HAIR, ADJUSTS HIS SHIRT COLLAR, SMILES THEATRICALLY AT HIS REFLECTION AND TAKES A DEEP BREATH. THEN HE STEPS DOWN, CLOSES THE DOOR AND STRUTS TO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK TO RAISE ITS BACK DOOR — NOT AN EASY TASK FOR 5’4”, 125-POUND ROCKO TROY.

CUT TO:
CLINIC LOBBY INTERIOR — DAY
ESTRELLA SITS AT THE RECEPTION DESK.
CYNTHIA ENTERS

ESTRELLA
(MUTTERS TO HERSELF IN SPANISH)

CYNTHIA
Did I miss something?

ESTRELLA
Guess who’s giving a vet talk to Linda’s second graders?

CYNTHIA
Dr. Em.

ESTRELLA
Not exactly.

CYNTHIA
Not HIM?!

ESTRELLA
It’s not that bad. It’s Robbie and me. What would Dr. Em say to second graders?

CYNTHIA
You’re not Dr. Em. What would you say to them? What do you say to your nieces and nephews?

ESTRELLA
No more than one cat per lap, and no squeezing.

ROCKO TROY ENTERS

ROCKO
No squeezing who?

ESTRELLA
Who did you have in mind, big boy?

ROCKO
(IMPULSIVELY) Estrella, you’re always in my mind!

CYNTHIA
I’m outa here.

CYNTHIA EXITS

ESTRELLA
Rocko, what do you have in mind for me?

ROCKO
(HORRIFIED AT HIS OWN OUTSPOKENNESS) Uh, well, I mean, Cynthia didn’t have to, well, I didn’t really mean, uh, I have your order!

ESTRELLA
You’re taking orders from me, Rocko?

ROCKO
(BUMBLING WITH PAPERWORK) Well, sure, right here, Estrella, I have your order. Three hundred pounds of high protein, three hundred pounds of puppy, two-forty of lite, and two hundred for the senior pet.

ESTRELLA
How could I ever be your pet if you keep on calling me a senior?

ROCKO
You’d be my pet?
ROBBIE ENTERS

ROBBIE
Hi, Rocko.

ROCKO
Estrella?

ROBBIE
I’m Robbie, Rocko. That’s Estrella.

ROCKO
(GATHERING HIMSELF) Hi, Robbie.

ROBBIE
Need some help with the bags?

ESTRELLA
Say it and you’re a dead man, Rocko.

ROCKO
Oh, Estrella, I just wanted you to sign the invoice.

ESTRELLA
(TO ROBBIE) Don’t go far, Querido, we have a speech to do for the children.

ROBBIE
(TO ROCKO) How do you talk to second graders?

ROCKO
How do you get Estrella to call you ‘Dear One’?

ROBBIE
What else would she call me?


(CONTINUED)