Welcome Home: SCENE 7

INTERIOR KENNEL AREA — DAY
ROBBIE IS HOLDING MR. BUN AS HE TALKS ON A CELL PHONE.

ROBBIE
Hi, Mom. How’s my best girl? … Nope, just keeping company with Mr. Bun. Well, that and telling you I finally met the new apartment manager. … She’s really nice, Mom. And guess what?! She says I can have a dog! … Yeah! Of my very own! … During the day? … Why couldn’t he come to work with me? He’d have lots of company. And he’d get to know Mr. Bun. … Dr. Em? No. I’m talking to you. … Oh, Okay. I’ll talk to her.


CUT TO:
INTERIOR RECEPTION AREA— DAY
ESTRELLA IS AT THE MAIN DESK, TALKING ON THE PHONE.


ESTRELLA
No, no, no, no. I most certainly do NOT want to relinquish this greyhound. We’re keeping him. …

SOUNDS OFF
PHONE RINGS

ESTRELLA
(SIGHS) We, the Mayfield Veterinary Clinic, owned and run by Dr. Emily Mayfield. … Yes, she has a transfer of interest from the owner’s beneficiary. …

SOUNDS OFF
PHONE RINGS

ESTRELLA
Yes, those are the correct numbers on his tattoo. Would you hold, please? (PUSHES BUTTONS ON PHONE) Mayfield Veterinary Clinic, can you hold please? … Thank you, Mr. Dexter. (PUSHES BUTTONS ON PHONE) What were those numbers again? … Yes, that is his tattoo. … How about we make this as easy as possible, okay? … He’s here in the clinic, and he’s still recovering. He’s here. He’s going to stay here. He’s not coming back to you. How about you fix your records? … Okay? Okay. And when will Dr. Mayfield get those papers? … That will be lovely. … And you, too. (PUSHES BUTTONS ON PHONE) Mr. Dexter? … Oh, good, I didn’t lose you. What can we do for you today? …

CUT TO:
INTERIOR KENNEL AREA — DAY
ROBBIE IS HOLDING MR. BUN AS HE TALKS ON A CELL PHONE.


ROBBIE
So what do I say to her? … Well, sure she’s a nice lady, but what if she says ‘no’? … I just need to ask her, don’t I? … Yes, Mom, I’ll remember to say ‘please.’


CUT TO:
INTERIOR RECEPTION AREA— DAY
ESTRELLA IS AT THE MAIN DESK, TALKING ON THE PHONE.


ESTRELLA
No, I don’t think it would do any harm to put off Moxie’s allergy shot for three days. Why? … No, Mr. Dexter, I’m not in the Chipper Clipper, so I don’t know Gordon’s schedule. But I know Gordon loves your Moxie. I’d trust his new schedule, if it was me. … (SMILES) I see. No, Mr. Dexter, we don’t want to make Moxie come all the way to town twice in one week. He will be so much happier if he can get his shot and his shampoo on the same day. … Of course you will. (TYPES ON THE KEYBOARD) It’s done. Third Tuesday of the month. You take care of little Moxie. (HANGS UP)


CUT TO:
INTERIOR TREATMENT AREA — DAY
CYNTHIA IS IN THE TREATMENT AREA FILLING OUT CHARTS.
ROBBIE ENTERS WITH PAYCHECK ON LEASH


ROBBIE
Hey, Cyn, can I ask you something?

CYNTHIA
Something wrong with Paycheck?

ROBBIE
Is something wrong? I don’t know, Cyn. Is there?

CYNTHIA
No. He looks good, doesn’t he? What did you want to ask?

ROBBIE
You sure he’s okay?

CYNTHIA
I’m sure Robbie. What was your question?

ROBBIE
How do I talk to Dr. Em about a dog?

CYNTHIA
(PUZZLED) You talk to Dr. Em about dogs all the time.

ROBBIE
About a dog for ME.

CYNTHIA
(TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ROBBIE IS TALKING ABOUT) What about a dog for you?

ROBBIE
I can have one now. (PAYCHECK IS LEANING AGAINST ROBBIE’S LEG) (TO PAYCHECK) Isn’t that great, Paycheck?

CYNTHIA
So why do you need to talk to Dr. Em?

ROBBIE
Mom said I should. To make sure it’s okay for me to bring my dog to work with me.

CYNTHIA
Okaaay. (STIFLES A SMILE) Your mom’s right. You do need to ask Dr. Em.

ROBBIE
How?

CYNTHIA
Just like you said it to me.

ROBBIE
But you’re not Dr. Em, Cynthia.

CYNTHIA
It’ll be okay. Just ask her like you said it to me.

CUT TO:
INTERIOR EXAM ROOM #1 — DAY
ROBBIE IS CLEANING THE EXAM TABLE
A. MICHAEL ENTERS


ROBBIE
Hi, Dr. Kendrick.

A.MICHAEL
Robbie.

ROBBIE
You like dogs?

A.MICHAEL
Uhhhh. Yeah.

ROBBIE
I can have a dog.

A.MICHAEL
That’s nice.

ROBBIE
And I want to bring him to work with me. (BEAT) Or maybe her. Do you think it might be a girl?

A.MICHAEL
To work with you?

ROBBIE
If Dr. Em says I can.

A.MICHAEL
Well, let me tell you how I feel about that.

ROBBIE
(EXCITED) I’ll go ask her right now.

ROBBIE EXITS


CUT TO:
INTERIOR RECEPTION AREA
ESTRELLA IS SEATED AT THE MAIN DESK
ROBBIE ENTERS


ROBBIE
(TO ESTRELLA) I can have a dog!

ESTRELLA
Really, Querido? How wonderful! Where are you going to get your dog?

(BEAT)

What are you going to name your dog?

(BEAT)

Okay. What is your puppy going to do during the day?

ROBBIE
I hadn’t thought about those. But I’ll bet Officer Trumbull could help me find a dog of my own. I don’t know about a name, though.

ESTRELLA
The dog will tell you its name. They always do.

ROBBIE
Really? They tell you?

ESTRELLA
I’ll come over to your apartment and I’ll help listen for his name.

ROBBIE
But I want him to be here, Estrella. I want him to come to work with me.

ESTRELLA
That’s a good idea, Robbie. Does Dr. Em know about your dog?

ROBBIE
Not yet. My mom says I have to ask her permission.

ESTRELLA
That’s a good idea.

ROBBIE
Will you ask her for me?

ESTRELLA
You know I can’t do that, Querido. But I’ll be beside you when you ask her.

ROBBIE
Thanks, Estrella.

(FADE TO WHITE)

(FADE IN)
INTERIOR RECEPTION AREA — DAY
ESTRELLA IS STANDING AT THE COUNTER
OFFICER TRUMBULL IS STANDING ON THE CLIENT SIDE OF THE COUNTER
EMILY IS BESIDE OFFICER TRUMBULL


ESTRELLA
(TURNS TO HALLWAY DOOR AND CALLS OUT) Robbie! Can you come up front?

ROBBIE ENTERS

ROBBIE
I’m here, Estrella. Oh, hi, Officer Trumbull. Got any new dogs?

OFFICER TRUMBULL
Hi, Robbie. No, son, all I have today is a problem.

ROBBIE
What kind of problem?

OFFICER TRUMBULL
Well, it’s a dog problem, Robbie. There’s this great dog that needs a home —

ROBBIE
I can have a dog.

OFFICER TRUMBULL
That’s nice, son, but this dog has a special problem.

ROBBIE
I’m pretty good with dogs.

OFFICER TRUMBULL
But see, this dog works. He has a very important job, and he has to go to work every day.

ROBBIE
Boy, he must be a really important dog.

OFFICER TRUMBULL
He is. Problem is, he doesn’t have any place to go after work.

ROBBIE
He’s HOMELESS?

OFFICER TRUMBULL
Well, not exactly. But he doesn’t have a family of his own, so after work he’s really lonely.

ROBBIE
Yeah. I know what you mean. My apartment’s pretty lonely, too.

OFFICER TRUMBULL
Oh, yeah?

ROBBIE
Sure is. After I get home from having supper with Mom. (TO EMILY) What happens to important dogs, Dr. Em?

EMILY
Officer Trumbull, you have any ideas?

OFFICER TRUMBULL
I was hoping you all might know of someone who could bring an important dog to work every day, and take him home at night. Someone to be his family.

ROBBIE
Hey! I could do that! I can have a dog, and I go to work every day! (TO EMILY) Couldn’t I do that, Dr. Em?

EMILY
That’s a great idea, Robbie. I mean, I think it’s a great idea. What do you think, Officer Trumbull?

OFFICER TRUMBULL
Yes, m’am, I think it’s a real good idea. But maybe we ought to ask the dog what he thinks.

ROBBIE
Do I get to meet him? Is he a boy?

ESTRELLA
(CALLS DOWN THE HALL) Cynthia, would you bring him in, please?

CYNTHIA ENTERS WITH PAYCHECK ON LEASH

ROBBIE
Paycheck! You were talking about Paycheck?! (KNEELS DOWN AND PUTS HIS ARMS AROUND THE GREYHOUND) Hey, buddy, do you want to live at my house? You can sleep on the bed. There’s plenty of room for both of us.

EMILY EXITS THROUGH HALLWAY.
EMILY AND ESTRELLA GIVE EACH OTHER A HIGH FIVE AS EMILY PASSES BY.

(CONTINUED)