Connect with English - Episode23

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The Retirement Party
PART I
1 MENDOZA K1TCHEN—EVENING
2 Ramón and Alex share supper in the kitchen.
3 RAMON Talked to your mother last night.
4 ALEX Am I gonna see her this weekend?
5 RAMON Yup. . . She and Norman wanna talk to you about something important.
6 ALEX What is it?
7 RAMON Norman got a new job. . . in Los Angeles. They’re moving to L. A.
8 ALEX Mommy’s moving? When?
9 RAMON The end of the month.
10 ALEX (after thinking) When am I going to see Mommy?
11 RAMON Well. . . she and Norman want you to move to L. A. with them.
12 ALEX You’re kidding, right?
13 RAMON No, I’m not.
14 ALEX It’s not fair. It’s just not fair.
15 Alex gets up from the table and heads upstairs to his room.
16 STAIRS
17 Ramón follows Alex up the stairs.
18 RAMON Alex, come back here. I think we should talk about this.
19 ALEX I hate you. I really, really hate all of you!
20 RAMON Alex— 
21 ALEX’S BEDROOM
22 The boy slams his bedroom door.
23 HALLWAY
24 Ramón is about to enter Alex’s room, but then he stops.
25 RAMON (talking through door) Alex, I didn’t wanna upset you. I’m sorry.
26 No answer.
27 RAMON (sighs) I just want you to know how much I love you and…this is ridiculous!
28 Ramón pushes open the door to his son’s bedroom.
29 ALEX’S BEDROOM
30 Ramón enters the room. Alex is on the floor next to his bed. He’s holding back tears.
31 RAMON How about if I sit down?
32 No response. Ramón sits down, anyway. The father and son are now both on the floor.
33 RAMON Remember how we used to sit and talk about important things.. . like—uh—
34 		when your bike was stolen. . . or when you broke the kitchen window? (sighs)
35	So, your mom wants you to move, and I want you to stay. Somehow, we’re gonna
36	have to work this out. You understand?
37 Alex shakes his head “no.”
38 ALEX I want it the way it was. With you and Mommy and me, together.
39 RAMON I don’t think that’s possible.
40 ALEX Why not? Because you don’t love each other anymore? What about me? What
41	am I supposed to do?
42 Alex gets up and angrily grabs his jacket from the heap of clothes in the corner of his room. He starts to head
43 for the door.
44 RAMON	Where you going?
45 ALEX	Out.
46 RAMON	No, you’re not.
47 The boy leaves the room.
48 RAMON	Alex!
49 STAIRCASE
50 Alex runs down the stairs toward the front door, his father running after him.
51 RAMON Alex—Alex, come back here. I mean it.
52 The boy stops.
53 RAMON Don’t you show your anger to me. This is not the way to solve our problem.
54	Look, this isn’t easy. . . for you, for me, or for your mother. But I promise I’ll try
55	to do what’s best for you.
56 Alex goes to his father and puts his arms around him. He cries for the first time.
57 ALEX Why can’t we be a family again? Why can’t you and Mommy love each other
58	again?
59 Ramón looks upset. He hugs Alex.
PART 2
60 COMPUTER ROOM IN THE MUSIC SCHOOL—LATE AFTERNOON
61 Bill and other students are working with computers, writing music, listening on headsets. Rebecca walks by
62 quickly. Bill stops her.
63 BILL Are you quitting already?
64 REBECCA I have to. I’m going to a big party tonight.
65 BILL Aren’t you the lucky one! Can you get me an invitation?
66 REBECCA Nnn—I don’t think so. It’s a retirement party for...
67 BILL Ugh, forget it. Retirement party. . . no way.
68 REBECCA They’re really nice people...
69 BILL Old people make me nervous...
70 REBECCA You are terrible...
71 BILL Ain’t that the truth! See ya!
72 He goes back to work while Rebecca leaves.
73 MENDOZA RESTAURANT—NIGHT
74 There is a sign on the front door:
	75	PRIVATE PARTY—CLOSED TONIGHT
	76	COME BACK SOON!
	77	The Mendozas
78 The restaurant is decorated for the parents’ retirement party. Many people are eating, some are talking, and
79 others are dancing. A three-piece band is playing music for the crowd.
80 Ramon helps bring out more food for the buffet table. Alex, not looking very happy, watches his grandparents dance.
82 Mr. and Mrs. Mendoza are dancing. When the music ends, everybody applauds.
83 FATHER (talking to the guests) Well, thank you, thank you. I hope we enjoy our retirement as
84	much as we love our restaurant.
85 The parents make their way through the crowd. Many guests congratulate them. Alberto and Rebecca enter.
86 Rebecca, who looks very nice, says “hello” to Alex.
87 ALEX Hi, Miss Casey.
88 REBECCA Alex, don’t you look nice.
89 ALEX Can I take your coat?
90 REBECCA I would love that. Here, would you take this for me as well? Thank you.
91 She hands Alex her purse and wrap. Alberto leads Rebecca through the crowd, introducing her to various
92 friends and relatives, including a group of younger Latino friends.
93 ALBERTO Urn—this is Gloria Diaz. She’s a friend of the family.
94 REBECCA Nice to meet you, Gloria.
95 GLORIA Hello, Rebecca. Tell me, how did you and Alberto meet?
96 REBECCA Oh, I was driving across country, and my car broke down in the desert. Alberto
97	just appeared out of the blue.
98 ALBERTO Actually, out of the desert. I was taking pictures when I noticed a car parked,
99 stranded in the middle of nowhere. (smiling) I tried to help, but her car
100	attacked me.
101 REBECCA It was an accident. The hood of my car fell on his head.
102 ALBERTO I recovered—by spending the rest of the night in the back seat of my car.
103 GLORIA (slightly teasing) How romantic!
104 ALBERTO I was alone, Gloria.
105 Alex arrives with a plate of shrimp.
106 REBECCA Oh, thank you, Alex. They look delicious.
107 ALBERTO Rebecca’s studying music and she’s going to be a songwriter someday.
108 REBECCA I’m hoping to be a songwriter.
109 ALBERTO And she works at the after-school program that Alex attends.
110 REBECCA Alex is a super baseball player. . . and a very talented guitar player.
111 The attention is now embarrassing Alex. He takes off through the crowd.
112 GLORIA He’s so adorable.
113 Gloria turns to her friends and they start speaking Spanish. Rebecca is left out of the conversation. Alberto
114 laughs at something they say. Rebecca smiles uncomfortably, not understanding what’s being said, and then
115 asks Alberto:
116 REBECCA What did she say?
117 Alberto, still listening, holds up his hand indicating “wait.”
118 ALBERTO It’s about—it’s about her trip to Acapulco. And I want to hear the rest of this.
119	Just—just—just a minute.
120 Alberto listens some more. Rebecca must wait for a translation. She looks frustrated.
PART 3
121 MENDOZA RESTAURANT
122 The Mendozas sit and talk with Alice Goodman, an old friend from their neighborhood, who retired and
123 moved to Phoenix.
124 ALICE That’s Phoenix for you. I don’t even know my neighbors. They’re all retired
125	people. All they do is stay home.
126 FATHER But aren’t there lots of activities for people like you?
127 ALICE Sure, but it’s not easy to make new friends. To tell you the truth, retirement can
128	get a little boring.
129 MOTHER Don’t say that! Here I am.. . about to retire.
	130	ALICE You’ll get used to it. . . eventually. So, tell me, what are your plans?
	131	FATHER Well, we’re hoping to go back to Mexico for Christmas to spend some time with
	132		our relatives.
	133	ALICE That’s nice. Did I show you pictures of me in front of my condominium?
	134	FATHER Wow. That’s some swimsuit, Alice.
135 They’re interrupted as Alberto brings Rebecca over to the table to introduce her.
136 ALBERTO Hello. Mama, Papa, you remember Rebecca.
137 FATHER Of course. How are you, Rebecca?
138 REBECCA Very good, thanks.
139 MOTHER It’s so good to see you again.
140 REBECCA It’s a pleasure to be here.
141 MOTHER (to Rebecca) This is Alice Goodman, an old friend. She came all the wayfrom
142	Arizona to be with us tonight.
143 REBECCA Oh, wonderful.
144 MOTHER This is Rebecca Casey.
145 REBECCA Nice to meet you.
146 ALICE Hello, Rebecca. I knew this guy when he was just a little boy. He liked girls even
147	back then.
148 ALBERTO (to Rebecca) OK. We’d better go before they start telling stories about my childhood.
149 Alberto leads Rebecca away after they say their goodbyes.
150 MOTHER (looking in Rebecca’s direction) So, what do you think?
151 ALICE Very attractive, but a little too skinny.
152 MOTHER I think it’s time for Alberto to settle down, have a family.
153 FATHER You women are terrible.
154 The father leaves, saying goodbye in Spanish.
155 ALICE What ever happened to Patricia?
156 MOTHER (pronouncing it with a Spanish accent) Pa-tri-ci-a? They still go out once in a while. I
157	was hoping they would get married. . . she’s Mexican-American, you know. But
158	not such luck.
159 ALICE How—uh—old is this Rebecca, anyway?
160 MOTHER I’m not sure. Urn—maybe twenty-nine.
161 ALICE Alberto better make up his mind fast if he’s gonna have kids.
162 MOTHER You’re right. I would like to have more grandchildren.
163 ALICE You have Alex. You’re lucky.
164 MOTHER Yes. But you can never have too many grandchildren.
165 MENDOZA RESTAURANT
166 The two women notice that when Rebecca is left alone for a second, Ramón comes over to talk with her.
167 Rebecca and Ramón are happy to see each other. The two women now begin to observe the action.
168 ALICE So—uh—Rebecca and Ramón are friends?
169 MOTHER Yes. He got her a job at Alex’s after-school program.
170 ALICE Looks like he’s quite fond of her.
171 MOTHER No, they’re just friends. She’s Alex’s teacher. That’s all.
172 ALICE Don’t be too sure.
173 Rebecca nods, smiling with Ramon. Alberto joins them and escorts Rebecca off to another part of the party.
174 Ramón stands for a second and then moves off.