DISH-PATCH (014): Welcome to the Jeep-volution...

Jeep registration notice triggers a REWIND as former Suit KATIE thinks fondly about how it all began: From PAGES to MUSINGs to Cultivating the CURIOUS mind to enjoying the FREEDOM to PLAY finding from within, the COURAGE to CREATE… (woo! breathless to read aloud). Quite the JOURNEY she’s been (and continues) on.

Let’s listen in as she shares her thoughts with long-time companion, RC the GREMLIN. —The Gang

Let us begin, shall we ??

FADE IN:

INT. KATIE’S KITCHEN

It’s early morning and the writing is FLO-ing this day.

In front of Katie is a legal-size piece of paper with blue ink scribbles and drawings — including the “classic” Jeep headlights / radiator grill– well recognized. Her pal, RC THE GREMLIN, is quietly observing while sipping 4A coffee from a TRIGGER MUG.

Then it happens. She stops to stand and stretch. He engages.

RC THE GREMLIN
Whoa, Lady Katie!! That… Whata FLO you got there!

Katie smiles and faces the direction of the voice.

KATIE
Oh hey there, buddy… How long this time…?

Holding up the mug.

Trigger Mug…

RC THE GREMLIN
About to go for a warm-up… You in?

KATIE
Nah. Switching to SPURs. You should too if you don’t want total ZOOMies.

He rinses his cup in the sink while continuing the banter.

RC THE GREMLIN
Today’s topic…?

KATIE
The Jeep… and me… I’m calling it the JEEP-VOLUTION as it seems my transition can be… well… parallels my JEEPs.

Pondering the Journey…

There’s silence as RC considers what she said while also firing up the ELECTRIC TEA KETTLE.

RC THE GREMLIN
Remind me…

KATIE
‘93… the summer of “SIZE MATTERS”…

RC THE GREMLIN
Oh… OBJECTS ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR — Jurassic Park classic visual…

KATIE
Not why I got it… coincidence actually … the same summer. But I had to get rid of my ALFA… that clutch… too stiff. Hated NOT being able to drive it. Had a friend drive me one time… Not the same.

Alfa flashback…

RC THE GREMLIN
Sweet ride. A little stinky… not sure what was up with that gas smell in the trunk.

KATIE
Right?

RC THE GREMLIN
So today…

KATIE
Found the DMV notice to register the Jeep and this is the SMOG year. Figured I’d bounce over the hill and pay it a visit.

RC THE GREMLIN
I understand… it’s in good hands with your trail pal’s human.

KATIE
Yeah. Kee-Ra and Meredith have been doing some DUCKIN adventures…

RC THE GREMLIN
So client permitting, of course, maybe YOU both can do some DUCKIN while you’re over there.

KATIE
It would be good to see how she’s doing… You know she’s work-shopping THE ARTIST’S WAY.

Artist Way (Yosh!)…

RC THE GREMLIN
Didn’t know… but did know it was instrumental for your KICK START… the MORNING MUSINGS you’ve incorporated into your life… wow… since the 90s.

Adopt-a-Jeep and a new ritual… How’s that?

KATIE
Right? Adopt a Jeep and a new ritual… How’s that?

RC THE GREMLIN
The start of… well… here you are… persistence paid off… This is the third JEEP right?

KATIE
Can you believe at this registration it’ll be… ?

She draws in the air the numbers: Two (2) and Four (4).

RC THE GREMLIN
Nearly a quarter of a century…

KATIE
THAT Jeep… my history… ‘93 after I finally retired from road racing 10Ks, marathons and the like due to that…

RC scrunches up his face.

RC THE GREMLIN
That nasty hamstring tear in San Jose… that race. Like who pops a hammie in a 10K?

Shaking at the thought.

KATIE
Makes me shiver … thinking about the PT with the huge garbage bag full of ice after.

RC shiver-shakes too.

RC THE GREMLIN
Your BLACK & BLUE back of leg was… ginormous… Thus the need for…

KATIE
I know. I know. Not something I’d ever want to repeat… Anyway, in retrospect… heck, during the downtime, I finally figured out… that the UNIVERSE was sending me a message… And actually had been for a while, like when I wrecked my knee the last workout before flying to the Olympic Trials. This hammie? Same leg. During my comeback race … Popped off the insertion point.

RC THE GREMLIN
Weren’t you told that was more common for soccer players?

KATIE
Right? Buy-a-clue!

RC THE GREMLIN
Nothing like a nice smack with a two-by-four… DONE. MEANS. DONE!

KATIE
And REDIRECT means REDIRECT… The MORNING MUSINGS offered a means for me to …

RC THE GREMLIN
Move on… your Journey… figure out what’s next and…

Flex-n-Flo…

KATIE
Got me to the mission: HELPING PEOPLE FIND AND SUSTAIN THEIR HAPPY PLACE.

The “Aha!”…

RC THE GREMLIN
It’s been quite the journey for you… as I’ve witnessed.

She smiles.

KATIE
Those JOURNALS… captured everything… clearing out the bad. Pondering the possible… and then blocking and tackling day-to-day.

RC THE GREMLIN
One foot in front of the other.

…as my brother reminded me… PICK-EM-UP and PUT-EM-DOWN…

KATIE
Or as my brother reminded me… PICK-EM-UP and PUT-EM-DOWN…

RC THE GREMLIN
Your brother?

KATIE
Repeating something COACH always said.

RC THE GREMLIN
Gotcha.

Katie looks at the clock.

KATIE
Speaking of… Must away… PITTER-PATTER tempo run. You coming?

RC THE GREMLIN
Now? No. Might silently tag along on your OVER-THE-HILL adventure. It’d be good for me to see what’s going on first hand.

KATIE
And I’m sure Kee-Ra will enjoy catching you up … quite the story teller he’s become.

They FIST-BUMP.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. MEREDITH’S HOUSE

It is later that same day and KATIE has just pulled up. Parking across the street from Meredith’s house. The garage door is open, giving her an opportunity to admire her JEEP from afar.

KATIE INTERNAL
Ah! There she is!

Her focus shifts as Meredith and Kee-Ra come bounding out to greet her.

They do their FIST-BUMP (AND FIST-PAW BUMP) ritual.

MEREDITH
You fly the hill or what? Guess 17 behaved, eh?

KATIE
Timing helped… but yeah. Now let’s get this baby topped off first before we visit your SMOG GUY…

Meredith tosses her the keys. Katie captures SOUTHIE and tosses them back.

KATIE
You drive, my friend. Please and thank-you!

Meredith smiles while Kee-Ra hops in the back.

FADE OUT.

Pencils down…

Ladies and gentlemen… The stage is set. And what we didn’t “SEE” but know… is that RC the GREMLIN is hanging in the back seat of the Jeep with Kee-Ra. Yup! He DID tag along… So there’s more to come!