A blues Musician and an aspiring Singer talk over their dreams in a 1950's Los Angeles Lounge.
INT. LOUNGE - NIGHT
Mood lighting. Smokey atmosphere. Sounds of jazzy music mixed with buzzing chatter.
At a TABLE sits. TONY (late 30’s) black, and NADINE (early 20’s), beautiful, petite, also black.
They’re already in mid conversation.
TONY
No I’m originally from Biloxi. I moved to Los Angeles after the war. How about you?
NADINE
New Orleans. I’ve only lived here for two weeks.
TONY
What drew you to the city of angels?
NADINE
The illusion that you can be anything or anyone you wanna be.
TONY
Must be something in the air cuz everyone I’ve met saw visions of that same illusion.
NADINE
So what about you? What are your dreams?
TONY
Oh the same as yours. To make music.
NADINE
You’re a musician?
Tony nods.
NADINE
What makes you think that I’m one?
TONY
My mother was a musician and from you I get the same feeling of familiarity that I felt when I was around her.
NADINE
Freud referred to that as Oedipus Complex.
TONY
Haha. And a comedian I see. All hail LA’s new queen of comedy.
NADINE
That’s me queen of the one liners.
They share a laugh.
TONY
But in all seriousness. With all the Jazz clubs in New Orleans what made you pick Los Angeles?
NADINE
I had to get as far away as I could from my family. What about you?
TONY
Same reason I joined the army prior. To get away from my ex wife.
NADINE
Ex wife or unwanted kids?
TONY
Ex wife believe me. I don’t have any kids. Non that I’m aware of.
NADINE
Well if you’re in the market for some I know just the place.
TONY
You?
NADINE
Oh no. I can’t even stomach looking at my own baby pictures. I was talking about the foster home on Central and 81st.
TONY
Oh I know the place well. I’ve delivered there a few times... To the front porch.. But couldn’t stomach actually going inside.
She shoots him a look.
TONY
Its to similar to the one I grew up in.
He hangs his head with shame.
NADINE
I get the same thought every morning and every evening I walk past.
He looks up.
NADINE
Too similar to the one I grew up in too.
They share a look. Some commonality.
Nadine feels a bit nervous, decides to put a pause in the mood.
NADINE
So are you gonna keep attempting to warm up my voice by talking my ear off or are you gonna finally request me to sing?
TONY
Girl you read my mind.
NADINE
Well alright then.
Nadine reaches across for Tony’s SHOT GLASS which has taken up residence in front of him. She grabs the glass and shoots the shot.
She exits her chair and makes her way over toward the STAGE. The SPOT LIGHT hits her as if it had been waiting for her. The same time the melody of a song starts. She adjusts the MIC to her preferred height. Finds her POV which is Tony, as she awaits the start of her verse.
She begins to sing.
Tony watches from his table, occasionally taking a drink from the beverage in front of him. His eyes locked on Nadine who pours out her heart and sings her ass off.
Through the music and the attention they’re giving one another the mood goes unpaused and the two catch a vibe.
Written by Darion Taylor
(For education purposes only)
Copyright © 2020 by Darion Taylor
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