FIFTEEN
next morning
Lauren walks into the living room and stops. Squiggy is still face down on the couch. Carmine looks comfortable stretched out on the recliner. Lenny's on the other recliner, except he's got his head on the footrest.
Lauren (looking at Lenny; to herself)-I wonder if Lee ever slept like that?
{Btw, Lee is my brother}
Lauren turns and goes into the kitchen. Laverne comes down the stairs and also goes into the kitchen.
Laverne- So, what happened?
Lauren- You mean, Squig's squealing on us? Nothing, actually, but I think they're just waiting for the right moment. Atleast I know I won't get grounded.
Laverne- How come?
Lauren- I've never been grounded. I'm too much like Shirl.
Shirley (coming into the kitchen)- I heard that remark. (pauses; changes the subject) So, what's on today's agneda?
Lauren- I don't know actually. I can't come up with anything.
Kristin (coming into the kitchen)- Great! So we get to sit around on our butts... or, in some cases, faces all day.
Lauren- Well, my parents did miss going to Pittsfield this weekend. Maybe we could spend a day at the Berkshire Mall. It'd take me a day to see if I could remember what stores are in there.
{Btw, the Berkshire Mall was definitely not around in the late 50s/early 60s}
Shirley- Do they have a movie theater?
Lauren- Yeah, Hoyt's Cinema.
Kristin- Let's wake up the guys and get goin'!
All four girls go into the living room and wake up the guys. After about two hours of arguing about using the only bathroom with a shower, they all pile into the "sport utility" vehicle. {It's a GMC Jimmy... but they weren't around then}
SIXTEEN
about 45 mintues later, at the mall
Everyone walks into the second main entrance right next to Service Merchandise. {Of course, that store isn't open anymore}
Laverne- So, where do we start?
Lauren- Hmm... maybe if we split up into smaller groups, then we can all go wherever.
Kristin- Sounds good to me! (grabs Squiggy's arm) You're comin' with me.
They walk away.
Shirley- Let's go find the pet store. (she pulls Carmine along with her)
Laverne- Why do I keep endin' up bein' the third wheel?
Lauren- Well...
Lenny (steps in between then and puts an arm on each of their shoulders)- Awe, c'mon, Laverne, you ain't a third wheel.
Laverne- Naw?
Lenny- Nah, ya just didn't find someone to come along with ya.
Laverne- Gee, thanks for pointin' that out, Len.
Lenny- You're welcome!
Lauren- Why don't we go check out the music store.
{It's Record Town... there used to be a Tape World, but it merged with Record Town, and the Sam Goody's closed}
They go over to the music store, go in, and head straight towards the rock'n'roll section. {huge section, think the size of what today's rock & pop section is... Record Town's ain't really that big, though... ::snaps fingers:: Darn}
Lauren (pulls out a record)- Awe, the Everly Brothers... (she looks at the song list on the back) darn, none of my favorites are on here.
Laverne- Ya want a sure winner? Come'ere and take a look through the Elvis section.
Lauren- Elvis?... I'm comin'! (she hurries over to where Laverne is)
Laverne picks up the record with a picture of "early Elvis" on it and both girls sigh. Lenny is looking through a section on the opposite side and rolls his eyes.
Laverne- I'd get this, but I've already got these songs... but I'd love just the cover!
Lauren- Maybe they've got a poster with that picture.
Laverne- Let's go look!
They hurry off to the other side of the store.
Laverne (starts looking through the bin of rolled up posters)- Elvis or Fabian, I don't care which, but if ya find both... oh my heart!
Lauren- Unfortuantely, I'm not finding any.
Lenny (comes over and stands next to the bin)- Whadya need a poster of one-a them for? Ya got me!
Lauren (looks at Laverne; sarcastically)- Quite humble, ain't he?
Lenny- I thought so.
Laverne- Are you bored?
Lenny- Well, yeah. I looked through that whole section over there and found nothin'.
Lauren- There don't seem to be any good posters in here. Why don't we go to another store?
Laverne- Oh, alright. Now where?
SEVENTEEN
movie theater {Hoyt's Cinema, actually}
Kristin and Squiggy are sitting in the last row. They actually don't seem to know there's a movie playing.
Shirley and Carmine are in the fifth row, feeding each other popcorn.
Laverne comes through the door and sees that the only people in there are the others. She goes and sits in the front row--"Jailhouse Rock" is the movie.
Lauren and Lenny come in and sit over in the corner of the theater.
{Hmm... this scene is gettin' mighty smutty, so let's fast forward a bit, shall we?}
EIGHTEEN
that night, at the house, second main bedroom
Laverne- I can't believe you missed The King!?
Shirley- I was a little busy, Laverne.
Kristin- A little busy?
Laverne- For some reason, the phrase "tonsil hocky" comes to mind.
Shirley and Kristin glare at her.
Lavenre- Oh, please! Like ya didn't enjoy it!
Kristin- Anyway!... I still can't understand why the three of us gotta cram in here while Lauren gets her room all to herself.
Shirley- It's probably just that because she's home, she wants it to seem the same as it used to be.
Lavenre & Kristin- Huh?
Shirley- She wants things to be the way they used to be.
NINETEEN
Lauren's room
Lauren (sitting Indian style in her desk chair; whispering)- You're gonna get me in trouble, ya know!
Lenny (sitting on the floor)- For talkin'?
{There's no way I'd let him sit on my bed!}
Lauren- Yes, for talkin' and keep your voice down, will ya?!
Lenny (whispering)- Sorry... How'd ya manage to get Kristin to stay in the other room?
Lauren- I just asked. I wanted my room to myself like I used to... You really oughtta get outta here! This is makin' me nervous.
Lenny- Okay. (he gets up and goes over to the door)
Lauren (gets up quickly)- Wait! (she goes over to the door) Open it carefully and be quiet out in the hall. They're creeky spots all over the hall.
Lenny- Thanks for the warnin'. (gives her a kiss on the forehead and leaves quietly)
Lauren (closes the door after him)- We gotta go back to Milwaukee... my nerves can't handle this.
TWENTY
morning
Everybody' sitting around the living room, eating breakfast. The phone rings. Dad answers it.
Dad- Hello? (listens) Yes, they are. (listens) Really? (listens) Yes, I'll tell them. (listens) You're welcome. (he hangs up the receiver and turns to hte group in the living room)
Lauren- What was that about?
Dad- Seems as though a Mr. Shotz has cut short Laverne and Shirley's vacation. He wants them there for tomorrow's evening shift.
Shirley- I hate the evening shift. Most of the workers are completely drunk by that time.
Laverne- Shirl, we got a day and a half to back to Milwaukee!
Lauren- Awe, no.
Dad (to mom)- What time is today's train to Milwaukee leaving?
Mom (looks up the schedule)- Noon, then the next isn't for three days.
Shirley- Looks like we better get packin', Laverne.
Carmine- I'm comin', too. (turns to Kristin and Squiggy)- I'd suggest that you two better come.
Squiggy- You threatenin' us?
Carmine- No, if you like being unemployed.
Kristin- We'll come. Lauren?
Lauren- What?
Laverne- You comin, too?
Lauren- Well... it's only another three days.
Dad (goes over to Lauren)- The group rate for seven is better than six and one.
Lauren- I know that, dad, but I was sorta hoping to stay just a little while longer. Besides, what's the cost for five and two?
Dad- Five and two?
Lauren- Yeah, two, me and Lenny.
Lenny starts shaking his head "why'd she say that?".
Dad- You're going as seven. And I don't want to head anymore about this two thing.
Laverne- Guess we'd better get packin'.
The girls go upstairs to pack, while the boys get their things together in the den. Lauren follows her parents into the kitchen.
Lauren- Okay, it's not that I'm unhappy about leaving, now, that's okay. I had a feeling we wouldn't be staying that long anyway, but I don't like how you treat the relationship between myself and Lenny. Now, I'll admit, I thought I'd be thirty before I even had my first date. Why won't you atleast acknowledge it, ya know, other than having been the SWAT team the night before last?
Mom- We weren't quite ready.
Dad- It would have been nice if you'd told us in one of your many letters that on of the friends you were bringing just happened to be of the boyfriend nature.
Lauren- I know, but I didn't know how to tell you, and, yes, I still remember that you don't like to not know stuff like this, but I never realized this was gonna be a problem until we were already on the train.
Mom (to dad)- We can't blame her. She didn't really know how to handle telling us that.
Dad- True, atleast we did know something about him... and everyone else for that matter.
Lauren- Yeah, um, could I ask you something?
Dad- What?
Lauren- Does he pass the parental standards?
Mom and dad exchange glances.
Dad- Yes, I never thought I'd say that about the first guy.
Mom- I do, too. And you can tell him he doesn't have to eavesdrop in the dining room anymore.
Lauren turns and Lenny steps into the doorway.
Lenny- I wasn't listening. I was, um... uh... listening.
Lauren- See, he doesn't lie, either.
TWENTY-ONE
early afternoon, on the train
The group is a little more spreado ut this time. Kristin and Squiggy are near the front of the car. Laverne, Shirley, and Carmine are near the middle. Lauren and Lenny are near the back.
Laure in staring out the window.
Lenny (sitting)- Lauren? (nothing) Lauren? (still nothing; he taps her on the shoulder) Hey, you?
Lauren (turns to face him)- What?
Lenny- I just came back.
Lauren- You left?
Lenny- Yeah, I went to get some lunch.
Lauren- We had lunch before we left.
Lenny- I got hungry. What're ya staring out the window for?
Lauren (sniffs)- Nothin', just looking.
Lenny- You been cryin'?
Lauren- Are my eyes bloodshot?
Lenny- Yeah, your blue eyes're startin' to look purple.
Lauren (smiles)- What're ya tryin' to make me laugh for? Who knows how long it'll be before I get to visit again.
Lenny- I just wanted ya to cheer up. I'm gettin' tired of talkin' to myself.
Lauren- Stop it, sniffling and laughing is tough to do.
Lenny- Things didn't go that bad and ya did find out atleast your parents don't hate me.
Lauren- I know. It's just that, well, they've lost their little girl and I'm really gonna miss that.
Lenny- So, what? They've still got you, just a different you, and I happen to like this you... (he makes a face at what he just said) Did you understand that cuz I didn't. It's no wonder I don't like talkin' with myself.
Lauren- Even though you confused yourself, yes, I understood. That was really sweet, thanks.
Lenny- Maybe I could write for Hallmark.
Lauren- Don't push it, Len.
{And this concludes the novel... oh, goodness, I actually teared up when I wrote the thing about not being my parents' little girl anymore. Now, I'm tryin' to figure out if I still actually am or not... Lemme get back to you with that}