The story continues. In this segment Doc and Frannie are working on ideas for leveraging napkins as a form of communication with the patrons of the Jedemi Cafe. She is giving him some background about the “taming project” and references a book which Doc slips off to read.
Joey stops by to discuss the chosen approach. Later, they run it by Frankie.
Scene 9 – “Torn… Burma Shave or Bust”
Thursday
FADE IN:
INT. JEDEMI CAFE
Opens with a close-up of a hurricane lamp and then pulls back to see a layer of napkins on top of the originals. We hear Frannie laughing.
DOC
After all this time, you’re still energetic and laughing?
FRANNIE
I think I’ve moved into the punch drunk stage. But for sure, we have now officially become poster children for burning the midnight oil.
DOC
No kidding.
FRANNIE
So… you think this’ll pass the muster?
DOC
It’s really a creative approach. Glad you suggested it.
Just then, Joey pops in.
JOEY
Howdy, folks. How’s the great napkin adventure going?
FRANNIE
Really, really well…
DOC
Yeah. Frannie made a brilliant suggestion — come see!
Joey glances at the stack of napkins.
JOEY
Wow! Okay. Walk me through it.
FRANNIE
It popped into my mind that the Burma Shave style could work in this context… because it engages the viewer, you know? Kind of draws a person in — to see what’s next.
JOEY
I vaguely remember Burma Shave…
FRANNIE
Watch this…
On the table appear several napkins:
1: No one knows you better
2: Than you know yourself
3: Do the thing you want
4: Don’t wait for someone else
JOEY
Oh yeah… road signs, right? So, what’s your Burma Shave punch line.
DOC
Funny you should ask.
Just then a napkin floats down on top of the rest. It reads:
Follow your bliss!
They wait to hear Joey’s reaction. The napkins are being moved around — in a fashion that appears to indicate a re-reading…
FRANKIE
Come on… you aren’t going to bug me again about royalties, are you?
JOEY
I WAS JUST kidding. Besides, the one to watch out for is our MI–Tommie– downstairs. He’s the litigious one.
DOC
You got that right. To think that Hollywood was born because of him. That’s pretty amazing.
Edison & Hollywood: more info
JOEY
Indeed.
FRANNIE
Small world.
JOEY
Okay, so let’s get back to this project. Frannie, I like where you are going with this. Do you have another example in that stack?
FRANNIE
Sure. Hang on.
On the table appear another set of napkins:
1: Life is too short
2: So why waste
3: Precious time..
Then the last napkin floats down: Follow your bliss!
JOEY
And the sayings… those are from lyrics… like we talked about?
FRANNIE
Absolutely… This time you’ve got Madonna and Pat Benatar.
“Spotlight” – Madonna
“Precious Time” – Pat Benatar
JOEY
Sure (hesitantly)… right…
DOC
Frannie got me up to speed on this taming project and I assure you, the target audience– the patrons of this cafe– will get the music references.
JOEY
Okay… so… Burma Shave, huh?
DOC
You got to admit, it’s retro AND pretty darn clever.
JOEY
Indeed it is. Excellent work Frannie.
FRANNIE
Couldn’t have done it without Doc. He seems very in tune with music …pun intended.
JOEY
Oh yeah… You had a hand in programming the Enchanted Jukebox, right?
DOC
Ah — maybe a finger …okay a pinky finger level of involvement. That just sort of happened… you know, in that serendipitous way we’ve been talking about.
JOEY
Of course.
DOC
And this Burma Shave thing is way serendipitous. Am I right?
FRANNIE
Right you are. So what do you think? Should we show the MT?
DOC
MT?
JOEY
Mad Tamer.
DOC
Good one.
Just then the buzz of an airplane can be heard. It gets louder.
JOEY
X is back.
The buzz gets louder. Tracked from a shadow on the wall behind where they’ve been working, they perceive what looks like a tip of the wings.
FRANNIE
Look at that?
DOC
Look at what?
JOEY
X tipped his wing in approval.
FRANNIE
Guess we’re a go. I’m sure he’ll zip downstairs and let Frankie know.
Just then the airplane sound gets even louder followed by a table clearing breeze.
DOC
Whoa!
FRANNIE
He did it again.
JOEY
He can’t help himself. But I’d say that’s a great sign — he really likes what he saw.
DOC
I’ll help clean up.
As napkins are being moved back into tidy piles, a nudge uncovers a paperback copy of “The Little Prince.”
DOC
(amazed) Would you look at that?
JOEY
Ah, yes. I see that X has left you a present.
FRANNIE
Yeah, Doc. That’s the book I was telling you about.
DOC
Really? That’s cool. If you don’t mind…
FRANNIE
Go for it. It’s a pretty quick read — but deep. Might as well get started. Joey and I can reset this for Frankie.
DOC
Cool Awesome. Think I’ll make myself a Chai and settle in.
JOEY
Enjoy.
FRANNIE
And thanks again for your help. (pause) That guy is an incredible resource —
JOEY
Indeed. He’s got an amazing mind.
They get quiet as they rearrange the napkins in anticipation of Frankie’s arrival.
FADE TO BLACK.
Scene 10 — Breaking Down the Game Plan
Thursday
FADE IN:
INT. JEDEMI CAFE
The scene opens with a shot of two stacks of napkins being held down by clothespins.
JOEY
He should be here any minute from now.
FRANNIE
Yeah. So — what do you think?
JOEY
About?
FRANNIE
This whole — taming thing?
JOEY
In concept, it makes sense. It’s his execution I worry about.
FRANNIE
I hate to say it, but I think we may need to shadow him and jump in to assist.
JOEY
Yeah. It is kind of painful watching him fumble about with it… (pause) I admire his drive and enthusiasm…
Just then Frankie arrives.
FRANKIE
Who’s drive and enthusiasm? You guys talking about me again?
FRANNIE
You betcha! You’re the hot topic in this here cafe.
JOEY
I beg to differ (said with seriousness in his voice).
FRANKIE
I’m not?
FRANNIE
He’s kidding… aren’t you Joey?
JOEY
I’m not kidding. The hot topic around here is… taming.
FRANNIE
Of course.
FRANKIE
So who’s drive and enthusiasm were you admiring.
Playing with him some more to loosen him up, at the same time Frannie and Joey speak.
JOEY
Tommie
FRANNIE
Frankie
JOEY
Tommie
FRANNIE
Frankie
JOEY
Frankie
FRANNIE
Tommie
FRANKIE
Huh?
JOEY
Never mind. Come see what Frannie and Doc cooked up. It’s really good.
The angle pulls back to above the table as we witness the same process that Frannie and Doc went through with Joey. It’s clear from this angle that things are going well.
The angle cuts back to close shot.
FRANKIE
That’s amazing! Awesome! Better than I imagined.
FRANNIE
Thanks, Frankie. Freeing up Doc really helped.
JOEY
It certainly did.
FRANKIE
Can’t wait until Viv gets here. She’ll love it too.
JOEY
Hang on. You know, now’s a good time to walk through your game plan.
FRANNIE
Don’t look disappointed. We want you to be successful at this. So let’s take the time to really think out how it should play out.
There’s a moment of quiet before Frankie speaks up.
FRANKIE
Yeah… You’re right. You BOTH are right. I guess I just… get excited and then zoom… I’m off to the races.
FRANNIE
(sarcastically)
You? Off the races? Never happens…
FRANKIE
Hey… At least I’m admitting it. Thanks are in order to you both… for reigning me in.
JOEY
That’s what friends are for. So..
FRANKIE
Right… Game plan…
FRANNIE
It seems to me that taming Viv, building trust, and then turning loose the Burma Shave napkins is the way to go.
FRANKIE
Yeah. That’s what I was thinking. And check this out… I actually thought out the timing with Viv.
JOEY
And?
FRANKIE
You know how much I’d love to rush right in and tell her about this immediately…. but I’m going to wait.
FRANNIE
Good for you.
FRANKIE
It’s really obvious that the beginning of the weekend is kind of nutty around here, so I’d say the earliest would be on Sunday.
FRANNIE
Sunday afternoons are really mellow. So quiet that I heard Viv is thinking of closing down early.
JOEY
I see… Working with her when she’s less distracted and more likely to be receptive … that makes sense.
FRANKIE
So I’ll probably break the ice by chatting about movies. Hopefully, tonight’s film will still be fresh in her mind.
FRANNIE
Okay. That makes sense. Then what? How will you segue?
FRANKIE
Funny you should ask.
JOEY
Stop stalling… what’s on your mind.
FRANKIE
She asked about you guys… wanted to know if I was working alone… So I was thinking that we should introduce ourselves.
FRANNIE
All of us?
FRANKIE
Nah… maybe just you two and Doc.
JOEY
So how will you keep her from running out of the cafe… spooked?
FRANKIE
It dawned on me, while I was downstairs with Tommie, that Viv knows something happened to Mr. H. that night that resulted in a complete change of heart — where she was able to take over free and clear…
FRANNIE
Yeah… go on.
FRANKIE
So maybe we should re-enact it a bit. Let her listen to what we programmed the Jukebox with…
FRANNIE
Oh yeah… I can hear her howling with laughter… that’s good.
JOEY
No doubt, she’ll admire our clever approach.
FRANNIE
And appreciate that we took an interest in making sure that Mr. H., with his ill intentions — was out of the picture.
JOEY
Building trust.
FRANKIE
Yeah. That’ll give her something to noodle on.
FRANNIE
Okay… so when do you spring the napkins?
FRANKIE
Give it a few days. Let’s see how she behaves Monday and Tuesday. Then, a week after my first encounter — we’re onto napkins.
JOEY
Congratulations are in order…
FRANNIE
Yeah. That’s pretty darn well thought out.
FRANKIE
Hold your complements until we see how things go Sunday night.
FRANNIE
Will do.
JOEY
Yeah. Will do. Now let’s call it a night.
FRANNIE
I’m fried.
FRANKIE
Me too.
And as the first glimmering of the dawn sky becomes visible through the cafe windows, the gang settles down for some well-deserved rest.
FADE OUT.
In the next episode, Frankie continues his taming project with Viv. As part of the gang’s strategy for building trust, they explain how “The Enchanted Jukebox” played a key role in helping her gain full ownership of the Jedemi Cafe.
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