Road trip and stories.
The ladies hit the road. A little singing… A little storytelling… and Julie learns about how the “Lucy” experience became a source of bonding for Gayle and Fran.
FADE IN:
INT. GAYLE’S CAR
As the scene fades up, we see landscape and the roadway speeding by as the girls travel to the beach house. The girls are listening to PAT BENATAR. The camera pulls out to reveal Julie’s reflection in the car window. She’s leaning against the window watching the scenery roll by when she leans forward to tap Gayle and Fran on their shoulders.
JULIE
So how did you guys meet? Was it at work?
FRAN
Yeah… a good story too.
GAYLE
And a story that just so happens to coincide with the music we’re playing.
FRAN
You’re right. Yet another happy coincidence, I guess.
Gayle smiles a knowing smile.
GAYLE
I’ll let you take that one.
FRAN
She was working in Sales Ops…responsible for scrubbing the forecasts and ensuring that the right quantities of products were being ordered. I was a program manager trying to get a strategic product out the door. And I needed parts for a pilot run. My boss told me to get with Sales Ops, but I had been running around like crazy doing a million things and I never got to checking on the parts. But then one day…
As Fran describes how they met. The scene dissolves into a flashback–
INT. OFFICE HALLWAY
We see Fran just leaving a meeting and rushing down the hallway, when suddenly she stops.
FRAN
(voice over)
It was the strangest thing to be hearing music– especially at that time of day.
Now we see Fran looking around trying to track down the source of the music. And the lyrics are getting louder.
CUT TO:
INT. GAYLE’S CAR
JULIE
What was the song?
FRAN
It was Pat Benatar’s “Invincible” from the movie “The Legend of Billie Jean”
Julie is drawing a blank. Gayle ejects the tape they are listening to and flips it over. She hits play and the song comes on. Gayle and Fran start singing the chorus.
FRAN & GAYLE
We can’t afford to be innocent
Stand up and face the enemy
It’s a do or die situation
We will be Invincible
And with the power of conviction
There is no sacrifice
It’s a do or die situation
We will be Invincible…
Gayle turns it down and lets it continue to play as Fran continues the story. From the look on Julie’s face, the song isn’t ringing a bell, but she is intrigued and listening intently as the story continues.
CUT TO:
INT. OFFICE HALLWAY
FRAN
V/O
Anyway, as I listened to the familiar lyrics, I found myself wanting to find out who was playing it.
In the flashback, we see Fran stumbling into Gayle’s office. Gayle is deep into the music while crunching numbers on her spreadsheet, and is initially oblivious of Fran’s intrusion. Suddenly, the music stops and Gayle looks up at Fran.
GAYLE
Two-dozen Za4500s will be in early next week and they are being set
aside for the pilot run.
Fran appears surprised and after a brief hesitation responds.
FRAN
Thanks… That’s something I’ve been meaning to… (pause)
Fran steps back to check the sign on the office door and then starts laughing.
FRAN
Of course!
She reaches over and shakes Gayle’s hand.
GAYLE
I heard you’d be coming by. Does that timeline work for ya? If not, I can lean on some folks.
FRAN
No.. I mean… yes the timeline is fine. Thanks a lot.
Gayle turns back to her computer screen. Fran is still in the doorway.
FRAN
So… Benatar, huh? I love that song…
CUT TO:
INT. GAYLE’S CAR
GAYLE
Yeah… Back then I tapped into music as a way to help me stay focused — especially when I was doing tedious tasks… like crunching numbers.
Fran turns around and talks to Julie.
FRAN
Yeah. And then it was really weird like I kept running into her… in the hallway, at meetings… and then one beer bust we got into a conversation that had nothing to do with my project and her forecasts.
I’m not sure what the segue was– (to Gayle) Do you remember?
GAYLE
Lucy and Charlie Brown and a football…
FRAN
Oh yeah. That’s right. And as I recall, it ended up being a much deeper conversation than I had experienced before… and it had my brain cranking all night. Like something inside of me woke up…
JULIE
Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown to kick? For real?
A classic.
Just then the car comes to a stop in a parking lot.
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To be continued in Toll House Tales #112
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