A Light In The Grocery Store

INT. GROCERY STORE – PRESENT

SOHPIE (V.O.)

Just when I feel Life can’t get any better the world goes and dazzles me with its genius composition and brilliant orchestration. Now we're sitting in a run down grocery store food court filled with lots of hungry people quickly eating fast food. A YOUNG looking WOMAN “in her 30’s” a couple tables over is an oddity in her flowing golden hair. She is vibrant and youthful in her SEXY 1930’s leading lady style dress and hat...

Like the vintage dress, Sophie has made the ceramic salad bowl herself and filled it with a voluptuous fruit; ripe melon, mango, kiwi, star fruit, straw berries, raspberries and bananas she purchase and prepared at the food court. Her name, is SOPHIE PETERSON (80). She is a classic Southern Belle except in one way. She refuse to get old. Sophie rolls her eyes back with HOLY pleasure as she takes in the flavors blending in her mouth during this religious experience…

We see an OLD MAN struggle to get up from his finished lunch as his tray shakes in his frail hands… Sophie watches with a poised fork full of fruit.

OLD MAN
Just you wait young lady. This will be your plight sooner than you can imagine.

Man grabs prostatic hip.

SOPHIE
No, thank you. Been there, done that. Sophie smiles politely, eyes sparkle, returning to feast.

SOPHIE (V.O)
Mmmm, that what Heather was talking about.

CUT TO:
CSN song "Southern Cross" plays

SOPHIE (V.O)
I’m reminded what my Heather was talking about.

HEATHER (V.O.)
I can hear people’s song.

SOPHIE (V.O)
You can hear people singing?

HEATHER (V.O)
No.

CUT TO:

EXT. BENCH NEAR OPERA HOUSE STEPS – 2:30PM

Sophie meets street musician, HEATHER named after Hathor, Goddess of music whose dream it is to play her upright bass and clarinet in the New Orleans opera house. She is wearing lots of layers even though it’s relatively warm out.

People walk by as she talks and plays a melody on her clarinet.

SOPHIE
What do you mean? Melodies people sing?

HEATHER
Not exactly. I can hear a distinct melody that comes from each person that passes.

SOPHIE
What do you hear?

HEATHER
I hear melodies. The older the person or the busier the person’s life is the more complicated they become. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older, but over the past few decades the songs have become faster, more discordant and muddied.

SOPHIE
Where does a person’s melody come from?

Heather looks to the right as she tries to hear the answer.

HEATHER
Sometimes when new parents are transporting their baby down the street in a stroller, I catch a very simple melody distinctly derived from the mother and father’s more complex tune. I‘ve seen singles one day get struck by cupid’s arrow and their melody goes from complex to lighter and easier to hear.

I’ve seen a lot of miracles and acts of courage from this street corner. And for a brief moment the muddy, convoluted sounds change to very raw, simple and pure expressions of love and humanity that fill the sound waves. Touched, Sophie breaths deeply and nods knowingly.

HEATHER
I spend hours catching people’s melodies and playing them so more ears can hear them.

SOPHIE
Heather, I can only imagine what it’s like carrying one large instrument and a smaller instrument from one venue to the next.

HEATHER
They’re my babies, my blessing, my burden.

Ruth Anne Wood ©2001-2009 Registered with the WGAE